So, what is different here compared to Beaumont? The short answer is that we don’t know yet – apart from what we can see at first glance. It’s definitely quieter here than in Beaumont, and not just because Pádraig is the only patient in a two-bed room, but also because there are hardly any visitors, measured by Irish standards. Another difference is that none of the staff wears a casual dress on the ward, and that includes doctors and consultants. In fact, it would be impossible to tell nurses and doctors apart based on their dress: they all wear the same ‘proper’ hospital gear; and they wear name badges with their job title, instead of the 24-No-More buttons we became so familiar with in Dublin. There is an obvious resource advantage here in comparison to the ward we got to know in Ireland – everything looks new, and you get the feeling that patients get what they need.

One thing that is not different to Dublin is that they were not prepared for Pádraig’s height. While the bed itself could be extended, they are still looking for an extension to the standard mattress.

Finally, I  explained that he would never react if addressed as ‘Herr Schäler’ and with the formal ‘Sie’, as Doctors did yesterday when we arrived. It will need some time not just to get over this exhausting trip but also to get to know each other on the ward. We will need to get beyond of what we can see at first glance – although what we have seen so far is  promising.