'I will forever be in their debt'

SIR, I was diagnosed with throat cancer in May 2017.

I was admitted as an outpatient at the magnificent oncology department at Worcester Royal Hospital.

Before my first session of radiotherapy I felt traumatised, perhaps even scared, as to what awaited me.

I had to endure four weeks of daily treatment within the department and the way I was treated by all the staff was breathtaking. They put my mind at ease immediately and the compassion they showed me was staggering.

They are a wonderful group of people and I will forever be in their debt.

I will never ever forget them all and during the last few therapies we were more like friends than me being a patient.

The only part of this letter that is remotely political is that it annoys me when I hear train drivers and the like are paid in excess of £1k a week – far more than these dedicated professionals and still they want more, they should be ashamed of themselves.

Once again, thanks to you all.

Jon Ciric

Worcester

'...but I feel I was let down'

SIR - I am writing this letter because I feel strongly regarding my late wife’s stay in hospital.

During her short time there I was not kept up to date with the way her illness was progressing, including getting e-coli.

I know that other people experienced the same treatment I realise they are under extreme pressure but the only time I saw a doctor was the day before she died, only to be told there was nothing they could do for her.

I feel more should be done to keep relatives informed as to the progress of the person in hospital.

C Davis

Worcester

'Trust your pharmacist'

SIR - I have had letters from a company purporting to “provide NHS services” which have always annoyed me very much.

I am a retired pharmacist who spent all my working life of 40 years in retail or hospital pharmacies.

During all those years, but particularly in the retail part of my career, the public asked us many questions about their health and their medicines.

We answered these if possible but if not we referred them to their doctor.

I hope the public realise that their dispensing pharmacist has spent 4 years at university and a further year as a trainee before being allowed to practice without supervision.

This is almost as long as the training to be a doctor. The present generation of pharmacists work very hard to give a really good service to their patients and are always there to answer questions from the public.

So far as delivery is concerned most pharmacies will, if needed, deliver prescriptions the same day so this kind of distant service with delay is unnecessary and dangerous.

Mrs Irene Cass

Malvern

'My very fond memories'

SIR, It was lovely to read about the history of Mathon, back in the 1900s, as I used to visit my grandparents who lived in No 1 Parkers Cottages.

Their names were George and Alma Jones and my grandfather kept the Cliff’s Arms around 1900. My mother and three aunts looked after the tables and put bread and cheese out for the customers.

My uncle George is pictured in one of the photos in football outfit. with his arms folded, stood up in the middle of the ground, I remember.

My mother was in service for the Rev Potter and his wife at the vicarage near the church, until she got married, where both my grandparents are buried.

My aunts’ names were Florence, Edith and Kate, my mum’s name was Gertrude, Uncle George was the only son. Thank you for reviving my childhood memories.

I hope this will give you a few more thoughts of how it used to be back then. I am now 88 years old.

Mrs Phyllis J Clarke

Worcester

'It’s Highways Madness'

SIR - I am a regular commuter between Birmingham and Worcester and have recently endured over 3 years of roadworks on the M5 and I thought they had finished at last.

Couldn’t believe that the dreaded cones went up again on the M5N junction with the M42- not for roadworks but blocking one lane on the M5 to ‘nudge’ drivers to use the M42 during roadworks further up the M5!

So now we have 5 miles of traffic jams from J5, drivers taking the already heavily used A38 to avoid the jams. Highway madness again.......

Eamonn Lynch

Birmingham

'Charity sum'

SIR - we are three members of Droitwich Challengers and were given permission to collect money for St Richards Hospice at the recent festival in Vines Park which celebrated 300 years of Handel’s water music.

The total we collected was £364.89, so thanks to all who donated.

Kate, Jamie and Chris

Droitwich