“After feeling ‘not quite right’ I went through six months of tests with the NHS while they tried to find out the cause of the problem, but there was no degree of urgency. Appointments were rescheduled and I was booked in with one consultant, then another. Eventually, I saw a consultant who said it was an abnormality with my pancreas.”

With a friend undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer at the same time, Will already had Dr Mirza in mind. After getting approval from the Police Mutual Healthcare Scheme team, he was able to see his consultant of choice at The Priory in Edgbaston, one of the many hospitals in our network.

He continues: “Pancreatic and brain cancers have some of the lowest survival rates, so I decided to go ahead with the procedure to remove the three cysts they found during a diagnostic procedure, before they had a chance to become cancerous.” He had a scan in March 2017 to ensure his recovery was going according to plan. Another scan is booked in for October this year, with a final check-up expected to take place in October 2018.

Will says: “If I hadn’t had the operation as soon as I did, there would have been an extremely high chance that I’d have been on digestive supplements and a restricted diet for the rest of my life. The NHS does the best it can with a huge strain on staff, but I was seen quickly thanks to the Police Mutual Healthcare Scheme.

"The NHS does the best it can, but I was seen quickly thanks to the Police Mutual Healthcare Scheme."“It gives peace of mind against something you wish isn’t going to happen. It can seem quite a lot to pay for, when retired, but well worth it. One of my friends had a knee operation under the Police Mutual scheme while he was working then dropped out of it after he retired.

“Shortly after, he needed his other knee replacing, and he had to wait for nine months with the NHS. At our age and stage of life, you don’t want to lose any of the quality time you have.”

Asked what he would say to others considering joining the Police Mutual Healthcare Scheme, Will comments: “I’d recommend the scheme to anyone, especially with the NHS being so stretched. The team has been really supportive. My wife is also a member thanks to my Police Mutual scheme and she has needed it for steroid injections, following a knee replacement she had in the past.

“The healthcare scheme, together with an excellent surgeon, unquestionably prolonged if not actually saved my life. I will not hesitate to continue paying my monthly subscription in the hope that I will not have to call on the service again.”

You can find out more information about Police Mutual’s Healthcare Scheme here.

Police Mutual Assurance Society Limited (PMAS) is an incorporated friendly society. PMHC Limited (PMHC), trading as Police Mutual, is registered in England and Wales No.03018474. The registered office for PMAS and PMHC is Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 6QS.