THREE years have been and gone and I have been back in to neurosurgery at The Southern for another brain reboot to factory settings. The bulk of the ward staff have moved on and the new hospital, the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, is in full swing, so what else has changed?

There is a much-needed refurb of the heating/ventilating, electrical and water/waste services on the go. Let's be honest, no point in having operating theatres which can be closed due to blocked drains, as happened a couple of years ago.

There's a nice new entrance/reception area nearing completion, which did become necessary after the new hospital build next door and a rather long and circuitous high-level link, which will certainly aid the physios with patient training.

What has not changed, however, is the mindset of the ward staff and ancillary services, courteous and very patient. We should be extremely proud of their dedication in what can most often be difficult circumstances with patients who have little or no control over their actions.

Taking away wage caps is fine but let’s just follow that up with a decent pay rise. It should not go without saying that the surgical staff are great too, no high-mindedness there at all, just getting on with the job in hand.

I shall strangely miss my stay here, but will remember in future not to be enticed to partake of beverages with Eez and Lax on the label.

George Dale,

Oakwood Drive, Beith.