"A mightily impressed patient"

My wife and the John Radcliffe Hospital team saved my life 35 years ago after a severe brittle asthma attack allowing me to have a life without troubling the NHS again for 30 years for which I am forever grateful.

Significant weight loss over a short period of time five years ago drove me to my GP despite the fact I seemed otherwise to be fine. Her vigilance set me on a path which led to an initial diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and a life expectancy of less than twelve months with a extremely slim chance it might be lymphoma. The likelihood of the former encouraged me to get everything in order to such an extent that even today my family would find it easy to manage the tedious administrative detail of death.

To my delight and that of my consultant, follicular lymphoma was confirmed five weeks later so somewhat bizarrely I became the happiest patient in the Day Treatment Unit of the Churchill Hospital in Oxford. For six months it was a pleasure to receive chemotherapy from the skilled, dedicated and happy team followed by two years of maintenance injections. To keep me occupied there followed an ERCP and cholecystectomy to remove gall stones, a bout of shingles, and recently completed treatment for prostate cancer. 

I therefore feel well qualified to comment on the competence of the NHS. 

Without a shadow of doubt at every interface, whether with porter, nurse, administrator or doctor, I have received the most caring and professional attention. The seamless service from an exceptional GP practice through to the astounding suite of Oxfordshire hospitals and their state of the art specialties inspires confidence and, rather perversely, makes one slightly sad to miss the contact with such kind individuals when treatment is over.

As a businessman with experience of manufacturing, watching this "human factory" with a never ending flow of people to treat is incredibly impressive. I can see the work being done using quality and continuous improvement techniques. This is vital to bring about change and efficiency but requires the commitment of all of the people involved.  My recent experience of the radiology department is strong evidence you have managed this challenge almost to perfection. 

It is virtually impossible to meet the high expectations of the UK population created by the success of the NHS over so many years but this patient is mightily impressed. I only hope that I was as consistently successful at looking after my customers!