Patient Testimonials

I am writing to express my gratitude to your team in the Urology department at the Dorchester County Hospital. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in July 2018 and was operated on by Mr Afzal on the 13th of October. I was given the all clear this week.
Throughout the tests in Dorchester I was reassured by the professionalism, compassion and respect shown by everyone. I was particularly moved by the kindness shown by Mr Afzal in contacting me personally to discuss details about the timing of the operation, as well as immediately after the operation to tell my wife that the operation had been a success.
I feel very fortunate to have been living in Dorset when diagnosed with prostate cancer. To have world leading practitioners and equipment on my doorstep is indeed fortunate, but to have a man of such humility and kindness in charge is a blessing.

I would like to express my grateful thanks to Mr Afzal and all his team for their care and attention with my recent prostate operation (RARP), which was performed at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital on 22nd September 2018. Throughout the whole process I was treated with ultimate professionalism and care. Please accept my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to you all, you are all an amazing team.

Please accept my congratulations on the excellence of the members of the department of Urology. Mr Afzal is a compassionate, reassuring and highly competent surgeon. Any preoperative anxiety melted away, turning to admiration of the high level of his professionalism and that of all the team members at each step of my journey to cure.
The robotic surgery allowed me to be discharged within 24 hours. Friends and neighbours could not believe it. Many commented on how fit I was looking! This method of robotic radical prostatectomy must be costly, but looking at the overall picture, I believe it's well worth it.

I write to express our sincere thanks for the professionalism and treatment my husband Mr M W has recently received from Mr Afzal and his Team in the Urology Department at DCH.
My husband was recently diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and was seen by several members of the team. Each and every one of them went out of their way to ensure that we understood what options were available for his treatment and why. We were never hurried into making a decision, neither were we made to feel that the team did not have time or the knowledge to discuss those options.
Having decided on RARP we then had an appointment with Mr Afzal who treated us with utter professionalism, compassion, dignity and respect. Mr Afzal explained the process to us and we both felt reassured, confident and relaxed about the surgery my husband was about to endure. We waited less than six weeks for the RARP surgery.
Immediately after the procedure, Mr Afzal telephoned me to tell me that he was very pleased with the way it went and that M had come through it very well. I certainly did not expect an act of such humanity and it certainly reassured me. Mr Afzal also visited M at RBCH on the Saturday morning following surgery on the previous day to ensure that all was well. I can't help thinking this was above and beyond the call of duty!
At this point I would also like to thank the staff at RBCH for all their care and attention. Nothing was ever too much for them; their organization was immaculate from clerking to discharge.

I feel I must write to you to express my gratitude and high level of satisfaction with the treatment that I have recently received from Mr Afzal and the Urology team at DCH.
I was referred following a high PSA blood test, resulting through various procedures in a diagnosis of cancer and removal of my prostate using the Da Vinci robotic system (at Bournemouth Hospital) in March of this year. Thanks to the skill and professionalism of Mr Afzal and his team this has produced a successful outcome. I have been treated with the utmost care and respect throughout the diagnosis, surgery and follow-up procedures and cannot praise highly enough everyone involved.

I am writing to express my gratitude to Mr Afzal and all of his team in the Urology clinic. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and within 2 weeks' had robotic surgery at RBH. All of the staff involved were very professional and all had a great sense of humor which I appreciated. I was made to feel very comfortable.
The surgery was a complete success for which I am grateful. I cannot thank them enough.

I would like to thank you and your team for the outstanding treatment and care I have received after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
I couldn't be more grateful of the excellent treatment at both Dorchester County Hospital and Royal Bournemouth Hospital, especially the da Vinci Surgery.
I am now cancer free and extremely grateful to Mr Afzal and his team.

Mr Afzal operated on me in May 2014 using the new Robot that had just been purchased and was located at Bournemouth Hospital. I am pleased to say that I am now totally free of cancer.
I would like to say a big Thank you to Mr Afzal and all his team, including the staff at Bournemouth, who have all been extremely kind to both me and my wife in what has been a difficult few years.

I am writing to say that the operation has been very succesful and I cannot praise Mr Afzal and his team enough. The use of the Da Vinci robotic system at Bournemouth Hospital enabled me to retain bladder and erectile function which would have been very unlikely using more outdated surgical methods. I am thankful that a surgeon of Mr Afzal's experience in using the machine performed the surgery and hope that Dorset County Hospital continue to promote the bext proven treatment options for individual cases whether that is with robotic surgery, brachytherapy or with high intensity ultrasound. The robotic surgery certainly worked for me extremely well and I am very grateful for that.

In April 2015 I had to have a prostate template biopsy this was performed by Mr N Afzal and his team this procedure was carried out at the Winterbourne Hospital, following procedure the results indicated that I had to have the prostate removed, Mr Afzal suggested that a Robotic Prostate removal procedure was the best option, the procedure was carried out at the Bournemouth Hospital in May 2015 again by Mr Afzal and team.
The reasoon to write to you is to express my sincere thanks to Mr Afzal and his team for the way I was and am being treated as I go through the post operation follow up procedure, I am pleased to say that to date I am enjoying life and there does not seem to be any major problems.
Words are not enough but Mr Afzal and his team are doing a fantastic job, from my personal perspective the way my Wife and I were treated during the pre operation procedure and follow up was exceptional and will always remember the compaasion and kindness of all involved.

I am writing to you to say how pleased I was to have the da Vinci SI Robotic surgery to remove my prostate which was cancerous.
I feel so lucky that this treatment was open to me, there is someone that I know who had the operation the old way and he could not believe the difference in getting better.
On the 31st October 2015 Mr Afzal performed the operation, and every time I go for my check ups I can not thank him enough for what he has done for me, and the Robotic surgery he used.
This is definitely a thank you letter from me.

I have just returned from a follow up consultation with Mr Afzal Consultant Surgeon at Dorset County Hospital. Mr Afzal informed me that he and the team were able to remove the prostate and all of the cancer.
PSA - Mr Afzal has since written, informing me my PSA level is less than 0.01. Fantastic. Thank you Mr Afzal, I am delighted.
As I understand, the procedure was carried out along with Mr Andrews, and about 20 other people i.e Doctors, Technicians, and of course; the nurses.
A big thank you to everyone involved.
Administration of the limited options - My Thanks, and apologies to the booking secretaries for putting up with me at this stressful time.
My Thanks to PALS for pointing me in the appropriate direction for help.

This is to thank you and your staff for the exemplary care that I have received. Without wishing to over-dramatise what is a routine and run-of-the-mill medical condition, the focused treatment for my prostate cancer has probably extended two lives rather than just one.
I have been under the car eof Mr Naveed Afzal since June 2015 and in that time he procured an MRI scan indicating a possible problem, arranged a Template Biopsy confirming that there was indeed a significant issue (with some of the samples being rated "aggressive" 8 on the Gleason scale), and finally on New Year's Eve removed the prostate using the robotically assisted machine at Bournemouth.
On Monday Mr Afzal was able to confirm that examination of the excised prostate showed the cancer to be fully contained and my PSA score at 0.04 was almost as low as he would wish. From my personal point of view, I am back to normal and the degree of incontinence from which I am suffering - the side effect that I most feared is insignificant. This ia a tribute to Mr Afzal's skill, allied to the technology at his command.

Retired Chartered Surveyor Stuart and he decided to get checked out for prostate cancer.
Initial tests led to a biopsy which showed there were some cancer cells in the vicinity of his prostate but, as they were a ‘less aggressive type’ he was placed on ‘watchful surveillance’. But six months later a prostate-specific antigen PSA test showed the cells had multiplied and Stuart, who lives in Weymouth, needed treatment.
"Mr Afzal explained the procedure and it appeared to offer a considerable reduction of the risks of undesirable side effects and decided that was what I wanted."
Mr Afzal explained, "Instead of having to cut into the patient HIFU involves precision focused ultrasound waves which raise the temperature of the target tissue to 80-90°C in two to three seconds, effectively destroying the targeted cancerous tissues.”
The treatment required just one night in hospital and Stuart was ‘back to full fitness less than a week later. To read the full article please follow this link: http://www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/hospital/newshome?p_hosp_name=BMI%20The%20Winterbourne%20Hospital&p_hosp_id=295&p_region_id=132&p_news_id=4536&in_page=News%20and%20Events

Dear Madam, Having recently had highly successful HIFU surgery under Mr Afzal, I would like to thank him for his excellent work. 
I also wish to thank the Urology team & all the nursing staff for their wonderful attention and particularly their sense of humour, despite the fact that they were always very busy. A smile and a kind word can make all the difference. 

I have heard rumours that the whole hospital system in Dorset is about to be reviewed with even possible closures. Please do not let this happen to DCH - which has such a proud record of excellence. It is so comforting to have a truly local hospital both for patients & Visitors alike. 
Your Faithfully, 

Having been a bit off colour for quite some time and after several visits to my excellent GP, it was found that I had a rather nasty tumour which had taken residence on the right of my Kidney. It was devastating news and obviously a bit of a worry.

As soon as I was diagnosed, I was given an appointment to see Mr Afzal who told me exactly what was wrong and what he was going to do about it. My wife and I left his office feeling confident that all would be OK. 

I had my procedure on the 8th of July. All went well and I was home by the following Sunday. Five days later. 

I am now fighting fit, and to be honest,  have never felt better. 
I wanted to put in writing that Mr Afzal and his team, and in fact, everyone involved with my case were absolutely amazing. I was made to fell calm and confident at all times and never felt stressed or worried about what was about to happen (well maybe a bit worried). As soon as the procedure was over, Mr Afzal took the trouble to phone my wife to say all was OK. She was very please to get that phone call. 

​The care and attention I received at Lulworth ward was fantastic. Every member of staff on the ward were excellent and over the 5 days, there were several different nurses and auxiliaries on different shifts, and all were consistently amazing. I couldn't have wanted any more. I think they are some of the hardest working people I have come across.

I have spoken to Mr Afzal only yesterday and all seems well. Just a scan in 3 months time.

So again. Thank you all who were involved with my case. I have been given a new lease of life and it is difficult to put in words how that feels. 
  
Sincerely, 

Dear Mr Afzal,  
I am pleased to have the opportunity of being able to thank you for your surgical skills over this year. I never realised that I had a surgical "time bomb" lurking in my urinary system!

Or that an enlarged prostate was the cause of my increased nocturnal wanderings!

My thanks again for your attention to my problems.

Dear Mr Afzal 
Letter of Thanks
I refer to my operation performed at the Dorchester County Hospital on, and would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your team for looking after me so well during the operation and the subsequent recovery period in the Lulworth Ward at Dorchester Hospital.

I would particularly like to thank Yvonne who carried out the pre-op and  subsequently in the theatre, and Mr Farquar Thompson the Anaethetist.

All your staff were very sympathetic and helpful throughout and I would thank them all very much. I continue to make good progress.