Stafford Hospital’s not changed says patient

AN ELDERLY Haughton man who went to Stafford Hospital to have a cancerous growth removed, said he was given a cursory examination by the consultant.
 
Eric Brown, 84, said that despite the reports about improving standards at Stafford Hospital his concerns about care remain.
 
He has been battling bladder cancer for four years and has previously had two growths removed under local anaesthetic, using a laser to burn away the tumour.
 
But when he went to Stafford Hospital to have a third growth removed this month he said the consultant inserted a camera, and no laser, withdrew it and walked out of the room before Mr Brown or the accompanying nurse had an opportunity to respond.
 
“You can see the procedure on a TV screen but he failed to do it,” Mr Brown, of Ash Drive, said.
 
“He was in for a few seconds, then he said ‘it’s all burned away’, that was it. I didn’t have any time to raise it with him. When I went to hospital I wasn’t passing blood, but now I am.” Mr Brown, who also suffers from a spinal condition and takes blood thinning drug warfarin, said he was told he would have to remain in hospital after the procedure until his INR (a measure of blood clotting) was acceptable.
 
But he said he discharged himself the next day because he was in such severe pain in his hospital bed, and felt there was no point in raising any issues with ward staff.
 
Julie Hendry, director of quality and patient experience at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We received a complaint from Mr Brown by telephone on Friday and are currently investigating his concerns.
 

Source Stafforshire Newsletter