CAMPYLOBACTER is a bacterial infection that left Paul Guyver in absolute agony.

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The 73-year-old is no stranger to emergency situations, having spent 48 years with West Midlands Fire Service, but his experience just over a week ago has left him eternally grateful to the doctors and nurses who cared for him with professionalism during his darkest hour.

Paul, from Barford, heaped praise on the NHS teams at Warwick Hospital who quickly diagnosed his condition, gave him round the clock care and got him safely back to his wife Lorraine five days after his health scare.

He fell ill on 2nd March and was quickly in agony.

“I went to bed feeling shaky and shivery on Wednesday and this carried on during the night,” Paul said. “It was about 6.45am on the Thursday when I made my wife a cup of tea, as I always do.

“I got to the bathroom and everything from my waist downwards was completely out of control. My stomach was gurgling and I was in agony. At first I thought I’d got a very serious bowel infection, so at 7.20am I called the NHS helpline and the young woman who answered my call listened very carefully and said ‘we need to get you an ambulance’.

“Within ten minutes one arrived and they took me to A&E at Warwick Hospital.”

What happened next, he said, was like “watching an orchestra in action”.

“Everybody knew what they had to do. I was asked various details about myself. Blood tests were taken. I had morphine. I was put on a drip to rehydrate me. I saw a doctor within ten minutes. There was no surgery involved - it was all medication. They did everything so very quickly,” Paul said.

After undergoing three blood tests, the conclusion was Paul had a painful bacterial infection, Campylobacter. Symptoms include diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps – it can be caused by eating raw or undercooked poultry, seafood, meat or drinking untreated water.

Paul said he couldn’t think of anything that might have triggered the problem – both he and his wife are very hygiene conscious.

The experience has left Paul taking medication but also in awe of the NHS. Although he’s never spoken to a newspaper before, Paul was so touched by the care he received, he contacted the Herald because he wanted to tell people his story.

“We are really lucky to have Warwick Hospital. The level of care was outstanding. The helpline lady was first class. You hear some people bleating about ambulance times and the NHS but if you think about Covid – which was a dreadful thing for everyone - the system we have is fantastic,” he said. “I’m so grateful to them and I just want to pat them on the back. This whole thing has put a new perspective on my life and I definitely feel lucky to be alive.”

Fiona Burton, chief nursing officer at South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust said: “I am so proud of our teams for their continued hard work and passion to provide first-class care to their patients.

“We are experiencing high levels of demand for our services, but this doesn’t compromise on the level of care and compassion they offer. Despite services being busy, it is really important that the public do seek advice and treatment for any health concerns as early as possible. NHS 111 will guide you to the most appropriate service, helping us care for the right people in the right places.”