I HAVE recently returned home from a stay of 11 days at the Darlington Memorial Hospital and am so tired of people slagging off the only local hospital we have.

I know the hospital has been threatened with closure, but the town is growing now with more housing been built.

The treatment I have received from all the wards I have been on and the kindness, care and understanding has been outstanding.

The staff are amazing across the board, day or night, and I cannot thank them enough.

I feel that the management doesn’t understand the conditions the staff have to work under and the stress they are under is horrendous.

Managers need to work alongside the staff so they understand what is truly going on.

I feel the staff totally deserve a much needed wage rise and am disgusted that all staff have to pay for their parking.

A special thanks to Peter, Sheryl and Maggie on ward 41 also Alison, Tina, Helen, Jane and Carol from ward 62.

Florence Boyes, Darlington