Dr Prantik Das MBBS, MRCP, FRCR 2022-07-25 Person 5 5 0

Today I met again with Dr Das to have my first consultation since my radiation treatment for my prostate cancer and to receive my PSA test results. Wow my results were .1 which is as good as it gets , so a fabulous result. Let me take you back to a point in time. I was advised by various consultants that it was time based on my PSA tests to have radiation treatment or similar for my cancer, however I had researched and been told about a treatment called spaceOAR which would minimise the potential effects of radiation on your rectum.Thankfully my research and diligence eventually led my to the Royal Derby Hospital (as other NHS hospitals were unable to provide this treatment) and the magical Dr Das who advised me that yes firstly I would be eligible for such a treatment and on my second consultation that yes I had been accepted onto the programme.The care that I received at Royal Derby was second to none from initial consultation to "ringing the bell" after my last course of radiation. I have copied in a letter that I wrote to the Radiotherapy Department. Dear Ms MacDonald Firstly let me say that I was so fortunate to have been treated at the Royal Derby Hospital. My first encounter with your hospital was to have the pleasure of meeting Dr Das and him agreeing to be my consultant as regards my prostate cancer treatment, what a gentleman he is. The journey begins with myself being accepted for the SPACE OAR hydrogel treatment which was a procedure which I had researched for many months and was grateful that your hospital performed such a procedure and I had been recommended by Dr Das. The procedure for the SPACE OAR treatment to be honest is not something that you would look forward to receiving a second treatment of, but the benefits for such a procedure is immense. After this treatment I then moved on that same day for my initial scanning. Moving on to my treatment, which started early January 2022 and was for a scheduled 20 doses of radiation. What an amazing team that you have in your department from my first encounter for the insertion of the SPACE OAR, to the various departments in between culminating in the completion of my treatment. The daily booking in procedure was met with cheery happy staff on reception and then directed to “the relevant waiting area” where again all radiographers and their assistants were happy cheery professional people. The first questions on your Patient Satisfaction Survey are, “Did you feel you were treated as a whole person”. The answer to those questions is absolutely, from the start of my treatment to my “Bell Ringing” on my last day. I was lucky enough to have early morning treatments around the same time and be scheduled mainly for “yellow waiting”. There were also a number of fellow patients also scheduled around the same time and the banter in the waiting area was exceptional as we discussed various topics mainly relating to bladder control, number of treatments remaining etc. etc., however, everyone commented on the exceptional way that your staff communicated with us as people not just a number and the excellent treatment that we were receiving. I have just received my follow up telephone consultation and look forward to my blood test results and consultation with Dr Das for my appraisal. Again, my sincere thanks for the treatment that I received from your department and the way that myself and my fellow patients were treated as people. Kind Regards So hopefully this note will give comfort to those that maybe anxious about their treatment going forward but rest assured Dr Das and the team are there for you. Thank You Dr Das