Mr Simon Monkhouse 2016-04-06 Person 5 5 0

I saw Simon Monkhouse in the last few weeks for a consultation regarding bariatric surgery. What can I say, I have several complex medical issues and have seen more doctors than I can remember, what a revelation and breath of fresh air this guy is. Highly recommended by my GP, who advised that he has spoken to my practise several times, with clear passion for his work, I was not disappointed. His welcoming smile, easy bedside manner, listening skills and empathy all confirmed what my GP had told me. Nothing was too much trouble, he listened intently, and clarified his explanations further with drawings. Was it like the many consultant appointments I have had, short, blunt, where they know best and if you are lucky, may occassionally look up from whatever they are scribbling...thankfully NO. Simon sat aside the desk, maintained good eye contact, spoke plain English, allowed me to say what I wanted to say and I can waffle, but nothing was too much trouble. It was like I could have been chatting to an old friend over a coffee or maybe something colder? I could write more, but could be accussed by the cynics of over egging the pudding. May I politely say, in my humble opinion, after having spent the majority of my working life in Customer Service at a managerial level, I have a rough idea what makes a great customer experience. Simon certainly knows as well, his style is modern, open, understanding and caring. Very cliche, but certainly he " went the extra mile. " A lot could be learnt by many from this guy. I hope that I am fortunate enough to meet Simon again in the near future, hopefully at St Georges in the operating theatre. If the operation is not approved, it will not be down to the lack of effort and passion by Simon. In closing, I wish Simon every success for the future, he truly deserves it. I hope he is supported by the NHS and his colleagues and is allowed to further his forward thinking and very important work, so he is allowed to reach his full potential and is not hampered by red tape and bureaucracy, as he has so much to offer. All the very best for the future, keep up the good work.