William Davies, 77, from Hailsham, recently became the 1,500th patient to be treated in the newly transformed neurosurgery ward in the Louisa Martindale Building at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
William was treated on A9 ward for five weeks following surgery to remove a large, non-cancerous tumour on his brain.
William expresses: “The staff were really brilliant; you couldn’t fault them or the care.
“I had a beautiful sea view from my room, with two big windows looking out to the sea, which made a big difference!”
The retired coach driver was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2023 and had a lobectomy – a surgical procedure where an entire lobe of the lung is removed – and after having a routine MRI, the tumour on his brain was discovered.
The tumour was on William’s pituitary gland, the part of the brain the makes, stores, and releases hormones.
William said: “This tumour was completely separate from my lung cancer. I had symptoms but I didn’t realise. Because it was pressing on my pituitary gland, my hands got bigger, I had sleep apnoea, skin tags – the surgeon said the tumour was causing these because it was on the growth hormone. They did give me injections to try and shrink the tumour, but it didn’t work, and surgery was the only option.”
The surgery, performed through his nose, allowed neurosurgeons to remove the tumour in small pieces. After surgery, William spent time in intensive care to treat a blood clot in his lung and a haematoma (vein damage). Despite losing his sense of taste and smell, William is hopeful these senses will return and is relieved that no further surgeries are needed.
In summer 2023, services including neurosurgery, moved into the modern, spacious Louisa Martindale Building which boasts state-of-the-art, new facilities that are improving patient care.
The building was designed to maximise space and light and on the neurosurgery wards, all patients enjoy a floor-to-ceiling view of the south coast sea.
The new building’s spacious design, featuring wider corridors, open areas, and fewer patients per ward, has been invaluable. This environment reduces feelings of confinement and stress, significantly enhancing patient comfort.
Patients can enjoy their meals in the dining room, away from their rooms or bed spaces. There are also areas for activities like arts and crafts sessions, and a TV room that recently showed the Olympics, ensuring patients don’t miss out on the latest entertainment.
These areas are essential for offering patients a change of scenery, mental stimulation, and opportunities to interact with fellow patients, which helps boost their wellbeing and reduce feelings of isolation.
The neurosurgery department now has access to three theatres, including a dedicated emergency theatre, reducing waiting times for elective patients and allowing the team to discharge 300 more patients compared to the previous year.
Jo Simpson, Head of Nursing for Neurosurgery, Spinal, Major Trauma and Plastics said: “These facility improvements have created a more holistic and supportive environment for both patients and staff, leading to improved care and recovery outcomes. As a team, we are very proud to celebrate this significant milestone of discharging our 1,500th patient in just over a year since moving in. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team.”
“We wish William all the best as he continues his recovery at home and look forward to continuing to provide excellent care to patients within these exceptional facilities that we as a team are so proud of.”