"Prostate Cancer Operation"

I was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer at The Basingstoke and North Hants hospital in Basingstoke in the Autumn of 2017. The treatment

I eventually opted for was the surgical removal of the prostate but as Basingstoke didn't perform the operation, I was referred to the Royal Surrey.

I was seen very quickly after the referral by a surgeon at the Royal Surrey who was also to be part of the team carrying out the surgery. I later saw the same surgeon immediately before the surgery in December, he came to see me in the recovery ward immediately after the op, again in the general ward and again yesterday at the 8-week post-op review. I was also assigned during the whole period to a specialist prostate nurse who was also consistently contactable by phone and in person throughout my whole experience with the Royal Surrey.

The surgeon and specialist nurse could not have been more thorough, reassuring, skilful and professional. It wasn't just them though that made the whole experience as stress free as possible, all of the staff I came into contact with were extremely pleasant, caring, knowledgeable and supportive and it's difficult to single out any one person or duty. I would like to pass my thanks on to all the staff at the Royal Surrey.

The NHS gets a lot of negative coverage and flack from the media but based upon my experience I have nothing but the utmost respect for the whole of the organisation andd everyone who works in it.