"All staff were kindly and caring"

Before treatment

I went with my husband to a preliminary information session at Maggie’s and were taken through what to expect by Consultant Radiographer, Jacqueline. She introduced us to unfamiliar medical terms and procedures – particularly helpful to my husband, as was the printed hand-out of the talk, to absorb later. She was accompanied by Scott, who was the person who took my husband from the waiting room to his first radiotherapy treatment. All of that was SO helpful to a man who is reluctant to even visit a friend in hospital.

Getting there

The multi-storey car park is conveniently placed and FREE! All good! But the long walk from there to the Radiotherapy dept is tedious. When you reach the part of the corridor which has coloured panes of glass in the windows it really lifts the spirit – almost there!

The volunteer waiting near the lift with a smile and an offer of water, and a confirmation of which button to press (which floor, positive number, minus number) is wonderfully calming.

Waiting Areas

On our first visit, we sat near the un-manned reception desk and were advised by the waiting patients there to go further along the corridor to the waiting area nearest to the treatment area. We sat down nearest to the speaker for the radio, and quickly moved to seats furthest away from it (not our taste in music) although we realise it is intended as background. Only on our last visit, (week 6) did another patient tell us that there are 3 different waiting areas with varied sound or lack of it- and all are available despite the distance from the treatment area.

Could that info be included in the notice telling people not to adjust the sound of the radio?

The large pot plant was obviously suffering from the summer heat. I got a good chuckle from the other people in the waiting area when I threatened to share our drinking water with the plant – it wasn’t so well cared for as the patients and supporters!

Finally and most importantly

All staff we encountered were kindly and caring – as well as efficient and timely and free to us . WELL DONE NHS