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[babyjane]

Following on from the 'How are You today' discussion about the situation in the NHS today:

A similar thing happened to my mother in 2004 but that was down to negligence on the part of the gastroenterologist consultant.  I was advised by her oncologist that the outcome would have been the same even if there had not been nearly a year between going to her GP and, eventually, getting an endoscopy after lots of pfaffing around.  Once the GE consultant had the endoscopy results all hell broke loose because he had failed to diagnose what was glaringly obvious.  Earlier diagnosis would have brought the same outcome but she could have been stronger to take on the radiotherapy and it could have bought her a bit more time to see her family and newly born great grandchild grow up a bit.  As it was she was far too weak and the radiotherapy had to be stopped after the third session and she died three months later.

The hospital was afraid I might go to litigation, the GE consultant sat on my mother's bed and apologised for letting her down but nothing was written in her notes.  I didn't tell them I wouldn't.  However after she died I wanted apology for her being treated like a fuss pot when she was a very frail, elderly, seriously ill woman.  I submitted a formal complaint, it was the least I could do for her.  It went through all the channels, an investigation was conducted and interviews with all the medical staff who dealt with her case.  I was kept informed all the way along.  I got a report and a written apology, although nothing personally from the GE consultant who had sat on her bed  .  I felt she had been vindicated.  She would not have wanted me to drag it out further.

I have since heard of similar cases and the same GE consultant's name kept coming up, it is just not good enough 

[Annie0710]

That's so sad :-(


I consulted a solicitor for a trail of errors I had with a gynaecologist, he was head of dept and I knew personally of a couple of women he persuaded to go private by him for hysterectomies due to cancer, one 29 yr old friend at the time had an awful time, he didn't stitch up her properly and the incision came undone twice then she learned she never did have cancer.  I had to have so many interviews following my complaint, they tested me for STDs, I had to be assessed by a psychiatrist and a gp (a good friend of the gynae) told me off for complaining but another gp said I was brave for standing up for myself.  This gynae never got reprimanded for his failings but I was offered an out of court settlement

[CLKD]

It is so draining too.  Some Consultants still think that they are above the populous - I have worked with some  .  At a time when one is already worried, ill, concerned, one needs to have faith that the GP will refer to the appropriate Consultant who should be reliable.  GPs have to take some responsibility as medical news travels!

Consultants usually work as 'teams' in that they use the same Staff in Theatre.  Those Staff should also take some responsibility regardless of their working relationship with that Surgeon.  If something doesn't seem 'right', then say so!  but where?  whistle blowers get a raw deal 

[CLKD]

when the decision to delay treatment is not made on clinical grounds by the relevant clinician, but by admin staff..

Carole -  I doubt whether admin staff have that kind of clout ........... the Consultant usually reviews his Waiting List, fits in various operations dependant on how much time he has allocated, checks the bed count ............ if you really know that admin postpone operations then maybe it's time to involve a National Newspaper 

[babyjane]

It can't be proven but I do believe there could be a criteria based on age.  If mother had been 41 or 51 instead of 81 I wonder if things might have been different 

[CLKD]

I agree BJ.  Mum is always complaining that her younger friends can see a GP 'within days' 

[Mbrown001]

We thought the opposite when my mother was at home. Everything was sent into her. The doc would do home visits with absolutely no problem whereas if it's someone my age then you really have to be bad to get a home visit.