"My husbands fantastic cancer care"

My husband was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer nearly 4 years ago. He underwent firstly, hormone treatment, tablets then injections to shrink the cancer and then had seven weeks of radio therapy. He has regular checkups ever since, and care for him has been completely wonderful especially by Dr Rogers at RBH in Reading.

He had a period of rectal bleeding caused by the radio therapy and was treated with great care and immediacy and to date is very fit and well. His annual checkup is next month with Dr Rogers and we are hoping that the results will be the same as last year, i.e. on examination the prostate had shrunk to the extent that he couldn’t even find it!

About three months ago my husband had developed a very small pre-cancerous "mark" on his forehead and at the same time he had a rather large black sebhoreic wart in his hairline discovered by his hairdresser. He was given an appointment at Dermatology within three days, was seen by the skin specialist who simply scraped away the large wart and "froze" the pre-cancerous patch, and we were checked into the clinic, seen by the specialist and treatment given all within 30 minutes. I am only sorry I cannot remember the female doctor we saw, but my husband's treatment again was outstanding.

He suffered a TIA some eight or nine years ago and due to immediate treatment and a weeks stay at Darenth Hospital in Kent, we were visiting relatives at the time, he responded so well and has fortunately had no other problems in that area. He was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes last year, once again his treatment this time by our local surgery, Mortimer Surgery, by Drs Miller, French and Strang, has been outstanding with regular checkups and care and advice whenever needed. We really cannot fault in any way the NHS treatment in our area in Berkshire, especially with my husband's medical history.

I only have one problem with the RBH and that is with the Eye Clinic, where I have had to attend fairly regularly over the past two and a half years, with appointments being made and then cancelled at the last minute.

But mainly my problem has been with the reception staff there who I have experienced, I am sorry to say, treat their patients who wait patiently in one queue only to often be told that they are standing in the wrong queue and to move to the next one (Maybe only two feet away). I feel elderly patients need extra care, understanding and above all respect.

Having made complaints about this and other matters concerned with this particular clinic, I have been contacted personally by telephone and apologies and explanations made! I have been told that on my next appointment I should make myself known to this person and she will talk to me face to face with an apology.

I am due for extensive spinal surgery in August under Mr. R Marshall's care, and without the caring and helpful input of his personal secretary, I might still have been waiting even for an assessment appointment.

I raise my hat (if I had one!) to the NHS treatment both at RBH and the West Berkshire Community Hospital in Thatcham near Newbury where we have been treated admirably.