Former businessman John believes that if he'd completed a Personal Profile before going into hospital in July 2011, he may have avoided many of the problems he later experienced. A widower who lives on his own in Rowlands Castle, John explains:

I went in for a complete knee replacement but while in theatre the surgeon decided to change this to a less weight-bearing operation called an arthrotomy. This therefore meant an extended stay in hospital - three days longer than initially scheduled. More importantly, I later became annoyed to find that the correct procedure for someone leaving hospital in my condition and needing a care package had not been implemented in my case. Therefore on my return there was no equipment in place and I found I couldn't cope with day to day living on my own. At the time, I was in excruciating pain and having to use crutches as I was told these were essential to avoid further damage and help the healing process.

I struggled on alone for four days until in desperation I called Hampshire County Council to see if they could recommend an agency where I could purchase some care. Fortunately, they put me in touch with Adult Services in Petersfield, where the staff were very helpful and things really started to come together. They arranged for me to have a Welcome Home package, which I now understand should have been organised while I was in hospital. This included various equipment to help me cope at home. The care manager also told me about the pilot project in Petersfield which aims to improve how information about patients and service users is recorded and shared between professionals. Because of what happened to me, I was more than happy to complete a Personal Profile when they asked.

If my personal information had been available in hospital at the point of contact it would have saved the NHS time and money - and perhaps made my experience a better one. I'm now pleased to be able to share the information in my Personal Profile with anyone I choose.  As a former CEO for 10 years and sales director for a national domestic appliance company, I recognise the importance of good communications and accurate information. To me, this project makes perfect sense for everyone as it will result in better information sharing, as well as saving time when it really matters.