With regard to the A&E facilities at local hospitals and GPs’ attitudes to the needs of patients, my husband had a pain in his stomach for a couple of days.

It seemed to get worse, but he said he didn’t want a doctor.

In the end, I went and spoke to the doctor on his behalf. The doctor said he was working half a day, so if I took my husband round in a cab, he would see him, as he needed to examine him.

I told my husband, who said he would go round the following day. I got an appointment for him for 10.30am the next day.

A little while later, the doctor rang and asked to speak to my husband. He then spoke to me and said he would be round to examine my husband in 10 minutes.

After he had examined him, he said he thought my husband needed an operation and the doctor was calling an ambulance, which would arrive in six minutes.

He said if the ambulance hadn’t arrived within half an hour, to call him again. He handed me a letter to give to paramedics. The ambulance arrived almost immediately.

The result was that my husband had an emergency operation that night, spent a week in the intensive care unit, three weeks in other wards and is now back at home recovering.

So thank you Dr Kumar for providing the same personal care and concern that we OAPs were lucky to have grown up with.

Thanks also to the Whipps Cross hospital staff at every level for their excellent professional work and friendly attitude.

Name and address supplied.