NOT a day goes by without the BBC or the popular press telling us how the NHS is awful and is about to collapse, so it was with fairly low expectations that I had cause to take my 81-year old father to A&E at Arrowe Park five weeks ago. 

Our experience was not at all as we expected. The service he has received has been superb and we believe that it is truly a service to be proud of. 

My father felt unwell with pins and needles in his arm. I took him to A&E at Arrowe Park at about 8am where the staff treated him with the utmost respect and subjected him, over the next few hours, to a raft of tests. 

As these did not reveal anything untoward, the doctor in charge of A&E advised that she would like him to be seen by the stroke team, just to be on the safe side. 

His pins and needles were actually mini strokes. We were home by the end of the day with all of the tests done and a diagnosis. 

All of the staff at Arrowe Park were excellent and we as a family felt grateful and proud of the NHS.  

Dad received first-class service and there was no talking down to him in a patronising way, which I have observed can happen when speaking to old people.

He is back at work now and is doing really well, thanks to a wonderful service from an NHS we should all be proud of.

Jane McVey by email.