"Treatment of an 11mm kidney stone "

I was admitted to the NNUH in Norwich for treatment, and cannot speak highly enough of the treatment I received from every single person with whom I came into contact, from greeters at the door to ward staff to the surgeon who performed the operation. Wonderful, wonderful professionals and human beings.

I have found it humbling and amazing and awe-inspiring - the work that you do, and the knowledge that you have acquired, and shared. The skills you have which have the power to alter completely, a fellow human being's quality of life.

Particularly the staff at the parish fields practice in Diss, the urology one-stop clinic at Cromer, and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. The incredible day to day, shift to shift, nursing staff whose utter patience, care, kindness, limitless supply of smiles and knowledge when dealing with all their charges. The staff in recovery who knew when to extend a gentle reassuring hand to a tearful patient. The admissions staff who dealt with each person arriving to check in with openness, kindness, objectivity and professionalism.

And finally, in their roles, ...

Your skill, knowledge of your chosen specialisms, care, kindness, expertise, brilliance in being able to fix my problem... Whether being my GP (Christopher Thorneley) and expediting this whole incredible chain of care. Whether being the amazing specialist (Mark Rochester) who was able to reassure me that it was not cancer but instead a large kidney stone - oh - the relief! ! Whether by inserting the stent (Sarah Jane Wood) you helped save my kidney from the stone blocking the ureter. Whether in the pre-op appointment (Sue Hull) by reassuring and answering questions from a nervous patient and her partner. Whether meeting me in a small room to discuss my tearful worries about being intubated for the anaesthetic, (Caroline Reavley) and for helping me in recovery to deal with the post-op pain relief. And last, but by no means least, the incredible Neil Burgess. Everyone I spoke to, or came into contact with, had the shiniest, brightest, most effusive praise for you. Everyone said you had the most exemplary patient manner, outstanding skill as a surgeon, and were simply, the kindest, most caring and nicest human being. They were all speaking the truth. You are every one of these things multiplied infinitely.

You should all know how much you are valued. How much the work that you do matters to the quality of life, and how much society is enriched by your presence in it.

Perhaps, on the very rare occasion when something isn't quite as good as you might have wished it to be, you will cast your memory back to this letter and know that you have made a massive difference to one very grateful patient indeed.