Mr Paul Thiruchelvam

Written by a patient at Charing Cross Hospital

I had a very good experience ,great care under Dr Paul Thiruchelvam. Everything was what I wanted and I was given appropriate support from the day he told me about my diagnosis of breast cancer. What ever was to happen was discussed with me and all the appointments were arranged around my needs.I did not want any reconstruction at all but he informed me of all the procedures and other options. I had trust in him right from the start, with the support of my best breast specialist nurse Bernie Rizon.My surgery went very well and I was pleased with the care I received, Dr Thiruchelvam visited me with his team on the ward after the surgery, he checked me and asked if I wanted to have a look how the stitching had been done, my answer was No. The following morning he came to check on me again with his team, he removed the corset that was around my chest, very reassuring and kind but that day he did not ask me if I wanted to have a look. That was great, at my own time I got up and went to freshen up and at that point I felt strong and positive to have a look at my self in the mirror. Thank you so much Dr Thiruchelvam for your kindness and care, you do your job with a lot of empathy and understanding of every individual needs, I am lucky to be in your care.

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Written by a patient at Charing Cross Hospital

I have just been from the Charing Hospital for my follow-up appointment after my surgery last week. Mr Paul Thiruchelvam saw me and gave the result from my breast surgery and I could jump up with joy when he told me that all the cancers were removed. He has done a great job and I'm really pleased with the result. Of course, I have not fully recovered yet but I'm definitely getting there. Not only Dr Paul's job I admired and thankful but all the staff, the other doctors and all the nurses in his department are wonderful. I am really so grateful to all at the Breast Services Department but most of all thank you so much to Doctor Thiruchelvam who did a fantastic job for my breast surgery. I had a great experience I could share with other patients. I'm waiting for my therapy and hopefully I will looked after just the same. Thank you so much Doctor Paul Thiruchelvam!

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Written by a patient at Charing Cross Hospital

I was initially seen by Dr Thiruchelvams team in a&he after an admission for a severe breast infection. From the outset his team were very informative and calming. They kept me engaged in all aslepcts of my treatment and how it was going to help. I was then asmitred to a ward for 4 nights and met Dr Thiruchelvam. He was very forward thinking and keen to have the best outcome as quickly as possible. He always put my personal needs and feelings first before going ahead with any further treatment. I was hen discharged and had 2 follow up appointments with Dr Thiruchelvams in his outpatient clinic. He was so thorough from the very beginning to he very end. And very polite and welcoming. I cannot thank Dr Thiruchelvam and his team enough for making me feel so much better so quickly. And the after care was fantastic. What a brilliant team and such a good role model for our brilliant NHS. Thanks again.

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Written by a patient at Charing Cross Hospital

A couple of weeks after my routine mammogram I received a letter to say that the results needed checking out: a quick scan and biopsy, then followed by results and consultation about what would happen and the options for surgery. All these appointments were on time and conducted in a friendly and calm professional manner, which helped reduce the initial scariness. Mr Paul Thirulchelvam recommended that I had wide local excision and sentinel node biopsy, and a wise pattern mammoplasty, with a symmetrisation surgery at the same time. Although this increases the risks and makes for a more complex operation, I preferred the idea of getting this done 'in one go'. A date was fixed straight away for the operation [so I knew that and didn't have to wait for one which is very helpful in forward planning] and I was marked up for the surgery by Paul, who also took photos for the record and preparation. His positive and straightforward approach made this decidedly comfortable and made me understand better what would happen and decision making seem easy, removing any worries. He outlined the risks and what he proposed to do. Since this was to remove the cancer by taking a wide margin, it would entail re-sizing both breasts in the same operation. He booked Mr Leff at the same time. The day of the operation was a bit nerve-racking, since there was a courier failure to deliver the hospital radioactive isotopes and a long wait for them [the dye is needed during the operation to pick up the cancer/nodes?], and hence delay in operating - but this has nothing to do with the excellence of the surgeons! Despite this, I was massively cheered by the arrival of PT in nuclear medicine, deciding to save time by pre-operation marking which kept me distracted and also reassured me the op was not going to be postponed! No bandages, liquid skin and self absorbing stitches, and a longish time for healing which is still underway. No real pain either - what I had/have is mild and tolerable. I was visited late that operating day 10 pm or so, and again the next morning when the drain was removed. Both reassuring and cheering. Since the operation I have had a further consultation and will now 'move on' to the oncology stage, an appointment is expected soon. Throughout so far it has been a very positive experience, healing seems to be going well, and I have always felt confidence in what needed to be done and who was doing it . I could have done better myself on finding out about post surgery bras, how to judge sizes etc but have actually managed very well with friends and common sense. I found many of the downloadable booklets useful but some rather long and not terribly good reading - and what about exercises? I still have a lot to find out on the next stage.

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Written by a patient at Charing Cross Hospital

Gone are the days of white-coated pomposity among senior medics, if Paul and his team are anything to go by. For a living, I train people to have difficult conversations in the workplace more easily, so I'm picky about these things; Paul got everything right from the word go. At our first meeting, confirming that my biopsy was indeed cancerous - and throughout the op day and followup appointment - he hit exactly the right balance between being human and being professional. He puts medical terminology into laywoman's language without a hint of impatience or condescension. He is a great listener (rare, especially among busy people). He inspires confidence, yet is straightforward about any chances of negative consequences from any part of the process. Following the emotional freefall I had experienced while awaiting news of the first biopsy, this kind of simple clarity about best and worst probabilities was an absolute lifeline. One small but important thing that put our initial conversation straight onto the right track was that he introduced himself to me by his first name. I am very comfortable with first-name terms in most contexts, but get privately irritated by medics who assume they can address me by my first name, and then tell me they are 'Dr So-and-So'. (This did happen with one or two of the many I met along the way as part of the wider process; it might be an idea explicitly to discourage this in the hospital at large - or at least for doctors to ask the patient how they prefer to be addressed and stick to the same protocol themselves.) If I may make one other tiny observation: at our second meeting, I was expecting Paul to give me an 'examination'. What I hadn't quite expected was that this meant being thoroughly 'marked up' with a felt tip pen! This didn't worry me in the least - I was just a bit surprised when he began drawing on me! - but others might appreciate a tad more explication by way of forewarning (for one thing, don't wear your best bra/top as it tends to rub off on the inside afterwards and is hard to get clean!) On the other hand, my guess is that if you're the type to find that idea worrying, you would receive sensitive reassurance from Paul and the nurse (who stays present throughout). I needed a lumpectomy with a lymph node biopsy to be taken during the surgery, and opted to have the other breast adjusted at the same time to even up my shape (by Paul's colleague, Daniel Leff). I didn't meet Daniel pre-surgery, so was particularly impressed and grateful that Paul made a point of bringing him to meet me in the evening following my op, more than 12 hours after the beginning of the working day for them, and that Paul was back in to check on me the following morning. So I'm in awe of his stamina, as well as his skills - ditto Daniel's - which I believe stems from a true passion for their work and compassion for those upon whom they practise it. Although I have radiotherapy to come, my lumpectomy has been a complete success, and I can only reiterate here what I told Paul face to face - I can't thank him and his team enough. If you're about to go through something similar, you couldn't be in safer hands.

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