Patricia Balsom: Diary of my final days
How one cancer patient suffered at the hands of the NHS
Like most people, Janet Street-Porter had read about the problems engulfing the National Health Service. But it wasn’t until her sister was diagnosed with terminal cancer that she came face to face with the stark reality of our debt-ridden hospitals. And it is all spelt out in the diary that Patricia Balsom has kept as she seeks the care she so desperately needs.
Horrific Cancer Treatment
I wish to share with you the horrid tale of how my father-in-law, a very decent and courageous man, was treated by the NHS since his diagnosis with gastric cancer. The whole affair here in Northumberland was sordid and I feel that the NHS staff was about as useless, indifferent and uncaring as they could possibly have been. I have not seen such poor treatment before in my life, whether in Scandinavia, Canada, or the United States, all places that I have lived and worked.
My father-in-law has just passed away from complications associated with gastric cancer. His treatment was, from the outset, absolutely horrific–at first the doctors barely passed him any information, and when we discovered that the cancer was incurable, they did not even bother booking an appointment for palliative care. I had to get information on the cancer and why chemotherapy was not an option from physician friends abroad and also had to book in the palliative care appointments myself.
Naturally, we wanted a second opinion, but the oncologist would not send this off because she felt that this questioned her judgment ! The nurse on the gastric team even tried to dissuade my father-in-law from doing this, feeling it was a waste of time. I have never heard of a doctor not acceding to a request for a second opinion. Ultimately, the registrar at the surgery had to write the request for a second opinion. From my experience with physicians, it is commonplace and well-advised to get a second opinion whenever a serious medical matter is diagnosed. The reputation of the oncologist (Dr. Mulvenna) was obviously more important to her than a patient asking for a second opinion regarding treatment and options.
It took nearly three weeks for an appointment with the palliative care team to be made. He was having difficulty eating because the tumour had spread to the oesophagus, and it was decided that a stent was a good initial option. When this was procedure was performed, the staff only gave him a local anaesthetic and he felt great discomfort. When the stent did not have the desired effect and he experienced a reflux of food, it never occurred to anyone that perhaps they should try other drugs to help him digest and to administer them by syringe. He never received any drugs apart from those prescribed at the outset whereas the Macmillan nurse said that there were many alternate drugs available. Instead, they wasted time and did not show the slightest interest in the case. The bleeding of the tumours was not addressed either, and only one radiotherapy session was booked.
The palliative care doctors, moreover, never even thought of telling him that a doctor came to Alnwick where he lived. Instead, they expected him to travel nearly forty miles to the nearest major hospital in Wansbeck. Only the secretary mentioned that a palliative care doctor visited Alnwick once a week, but by then it was too late.
At the hospital in his last week, a gastric specialist came in an told him that he had only weeks or months to live. This was not an opinion asked for, and her motive for saying this was strictly so that he would sign a waiver that would not require the medical team to resuscitate him !
Perhaps the cancer could not be cured, but the NHS made my father-in-law’s last months much less comfortable than they could have been because they just did not care and saw him as a nuisance. They followed the guidelines and did the bare minimum for him, but the guidelines exist only to absolve the NHS from liability. The nurses, doctors, and everyone involved with the case did close to nothing and no one even thought of breaking ranks because they are too worried about their fucking jobs and pensions, and satisfying their political masters, than they are about people’s lives. We can blame the system, but the attitude of the cowardly and venal scum within the ranks of the NHS must change too, if this system should be allowed to continue. Obviously throwing money at them is not going to change anything.
Moreover, we live in a strange world where guidelines and edicts from HQ are regarded as being in the best interests of the patients. It is like something out of Kafka or Orwell: the edicts and guidelines and ‘best practise’ codes have nothing to do with the best treatment of patients. This is how the government and their sycophants hide their ineptitude. I have never heard so many weasel words uttered to excuse the fact that they left a decent man to die with almost no support. If that is ‘best practise’, they can go fuck themselves. My advice to any of you facing cancer in Newcastle and Northumberland is to keep away from the NHS Trust here and do not trust the oncologists and their support staff. Also, if you can, get a private insurance and go to the US because you are condemned to death in the British Isles and furthermore will be treated like an unreasonable imbecile if you complain and fed weasel words at the same time to excuse the medical staff for leaving you to die and giving you sub-standard treatment.
Woman gives birth on pavement ‘after being refused ambulance
I have experienced both U.K. and U.S. health care systems. I grew up in America and lived in Leicester from 1987 to 2004. The main difference is CHOICE. I had so many bad experiences in England that when my husband died, the first thing I did was book a one way ticket. The care he did NOT receive was the reason for his early demise. I was sooo happy to come back and make my choices as to the health care I wanted and/or needed. People in the U.S. who do not have health insurance have their priorities wrong. I have friends who go on vacations, buy new cars etc. and then complain about not having health insurance. The people of America are making their voices heard loud and clear on this issue. Canadians are flooding across the Great Lakes to get healthcare in the United States and are happy to pay the price.
Judith Smith, Georgia, U.S.A.
- judith smith, oakwood, Georgia, U.S.A., 18/8/2009 10:28
NHS did something similar to my mum. Because she was diagnosed with cancer, she did not “qualify” for an ambulance ride when she broker her hip. I guess they assumed she would die soon enough so this wouldn’t become a problem for them. Glad we took her to the States where the blessed doctors were able to give her 5 years more of life.
- Hugh Devonshire, Leeds, England, 18/8/2009 10:00
I think everyone here arguing about the pros and cons of an NHS type healthcare system versus a US privatised system are barking up the wrong tree. The main problem now in the UK is that the NHS has become a victim (like every other public service) of collapse due to the sheer numbers being allowed to use the system that haven’t paid into it. Obviously this has increased beyond all common sense during the the last twelve years and has resulted in hospitals in most inner city areas especially, simply being unable to cope. It has all sort of knock on effects that is costing a fortune; translation services, the bringing in of incompetent agency workers who have little loyalty to the organisation they are working for, import of foreign workers who are not always screened for correct qualifications or ability to communicate English effectively, mis-management of hygiene procedures etc etc. The NHS should be chargeable to all newcomers full stop.
- cae, London, 18/8/2009 9:33
Hang on Folks, aren’t we forgetting the most important issue….???
Human kindness….where has that all gone, can you imagine your baby about to be born and the hospital tells you to find your own way there. Why do we pay taxes,why do we contribute toward the NHS ?
The hospital service should be ashamed of themselves, Mrs Blake could have lost her baby, or even her own life.
Does nobody care any more,? are we so wrapped up in our opinions that no one looks at the bigger picture.
I guarantee you if it was a friend, or family member that this happened to, your stories would be totally different.Ambulances are at the ready for any drunk delinquents that fall out of clubs in the early hours of the morning. Why should they get this treatment, where do they contribute toward society, most of them unemployed and not paying taxes.
This country is in a mess and should get their act and priorities together.- Maggie Smith, Lincolinshire, 18/8/2009 8:29
