June 25th 2011

JOIN THE SACK CHRISTINE GREEN PETITION.

PETITION: Sack Christine Green & the Directors of Tameside General Hospital on Facebook.

I have had dealings with her for years. Help us to get her removed from her £140,000 earnings a year. READ MORE...

Well, well, well. What a year. I have finally been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos/Joint Hypermobility Syndrome.  Despite my ill health TAMESIDE GENERAL HOSPITAL have discharged me.  I had no option other than to lodge a formal complaint regarding my E.N.T. treatment/lack of treatment. Today I received a letter from CHRISTINE GREEN the Chief Executive of TAMESIDE GENERAL HOSPITAL. It is rather strange that according to this letter the cyst, gastric reflux and nasal congestion, found in clinic, suddenly no longer exist. The E.N.T. specialists at TAMESIDE GENERAL HOSPITAL and FAIRFIELD HOSPITAL, HIGHFIELD HOSPITAL and THE BLACKPOOL BUPA HOSPITAL have all reported on these findings. In fact I have previously been booked in at FAIRFIELD and BLACKPOOL VICTORIA HOSPITAL to have the cyst removed. CHRISTINE GREEN insists that no abnormalities found. So why did Mr Karagama prescribe medication for gastric reflux? I have photographic evidence of the cyst in my throat too.

I still believe that Mr Karagama is a caring doctor. My illness EDS/JHS should have been identified in the 1980s when TAMESIDE GENERAL HOSPITAL discharged me after treating me for early onset osteoporosis. I was discharged as I could put my hands flat on the floor.This is another visible indication of EDS/JHS. Unfortunately CHRISTINE GREEN Chief Executive of TAMESIDE GENERAL HOSPITAL has the final say in how patients are treated... or not!

I will update you on Monday when I have spoken to the complaints-coordinator...

... CHRISTINE GREENs final paragraph in her very short letter states 'If we can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact the Complaints Co-ordinator on 0161 922 6025. Well actually CHRISTINE GREEN I happen to be in pain. Fortunately another hospital is providing the health care that the hospital YOU are paid to run efficiently should have provided. This should be interesting. I have another true story to tell of problems with the complaints co-ordinator at TAMESIDE GENERAL HOSPITAL and CHRISTINE GREENs' response. Watch this space! 

July 29th 2010

I have now received copies of my hospital notes from my colonoscopy. The notes are incomplete. The biopsy report says that I had two 3-4mm biopsies for suspected 'Chronic Colitis'... According to the information that I have, if Inflammatory Bowel is suspected, I should have had two or three 'full thickness biopsies' by laproscopy from eight places in my colon...Yet again the Royal Oldham Hospital appears to have failed to provide adequate healthcare.

July 26th 2010

Today I should have had a biopsy on the sore on my back but I have moved out of the area. This morning I was offered an appointment to see what I thought was the local dermatologist. He looked at the sore on my back and diagnosed Lichen Sclerosus. He said that it doesn't need a biopsy. I wanted to know how he had made a definitive diagnoses. His response was vague. It turns out that he is a G.P. with a special interest in dermatology.

Lichen Sclerosus usually affects the vulva in women and 'a biopsy can confirm the diagnosis and rule out other disorders which can sometimes mimic this condition'...

Recently the consultant at Tameside Hospital has profusely apologised, he examined me properly and has provided relevant treatment. As I was leaving he gave me the biggest hug ever! What a lovely doctor. That is the end of that issue with my throat. I would like to thank PALS at Tameside Hospital for their help and support in bringing this problem to a satisfactory conclusion for all. They have saved the N.H.S. and myself a lot of wasted money... although if there wasn't so many derogatory remarks in my files then these problems wouldn't occur in the first place as all I ask for is the health care that I need and that I am entitled to.

11th June 2010

Yesterday I attended Tameside Hospital. My files had been updated and seemingly 'doctored' with various basic test, undated, negative results from other hospitals included. The consultant was 'pleased' to hear that chronic inflammation was found on my recent colonoscopy. She said that is probably the cause of all the pain. She has arranged an ultrasound scan on my pelvis.

Today I have learned that my biopsy results from the colonoscopy are 'normal'. This is a mixed blessing as the biopsies were taken from where the consultant Mr Rate told me I had 'chronic inflammation'. Surely the inflammatory process should have shown on the biopsy? Furthermore the consultant at Royal Oldham Hospital has failed to mention to my G.P. that he found chronic inflammation when he did my colonoscopy. I have an appointment with my G.P. this evening to discuss these recent events and to hopefully get some medical treatment as I had a particularly bad night of pain and feverishness. Today I have had to have complete bedrest. I hope that I have the strength to carry on as living with this pain is becoming too much to bear.

Update...Fortunately my G.P. was a surgeon for 15 years in his home country. He knows that biopsies are not taken without reason. The surgeon did state in his letter that I have a 'tortuous colon'. This is not news to me as Roger Lester O.B.E. found this problem many years ago and planned to remove several inches from my bowel. I was unable go through with the operation. My G.P. is going to contact Mr Rate to discuss my condition. Fortunately my G.P. knows how much I am suffering. He has prescribed me antibiotics as we all know that they help so there must be some kind of infection somewhere inside me. On top of everything else my Diabetes is out of control and I am having an allergic reaction to something. Fortunately only my skin is affected with hives and that I can cope with.

27th May 2010

I saw my G.P Monday. He looked at the sore on my back after I had explained what the consultant said (see 22nd May). He kept asking me how I had done it! As if! I can't even reach it if I wanted to. He said that it's not a melanoma so he cannot refer me urgently. He gave me a 'Choose and Book' letter. This procedure could take several months before I could get an appointment.

Eventually after I explained again that the consultant only required a direct referral, he telephoned the consultants secretary who confirmed that he could directly refer me to the consultant.  He took the 'Choose and Book' letter back and typed a referral letter onto his computer. He said the referral would go out that day and to expect an appointment to be made by Wednesday.

As I haven't heard anything, I telephoned the surgery this morning. The receptionist E.W.  insisted that I have to go through the 'Choose and Book' route and that my letter and password are to be sent out today. Having to go through the 'Choose and Book' procedure means that four days already have been wasted, not to mention the postal system. This is an absolute disgrace! There is more than one type of skin cancer and all suspicious skin lesions should all be treated as urgent. I wonder how many lives have been lost because according to my G.P. only melanomas are urgent cases?

I asked the reception if I could speak to my doctor. E.W. took my mobile number. As I hadn't heard anything by lunch time, I phoned her back. She said that she had tried to phone me back but claimed that I gave her the wrong number. ALL OUR CONTACT NUMBERS ARE ON DATABASE AT THE SURGERY! E.W. could have quite easily checked the numbers on the surgerys' database.

E.W. is adament that I have to go through 'Choose and Book'. I asked if I could pick the letter up but she refused and said that it would be posted out to me. Also my address had not been updated. I explained that I had sent a letter in updating my address. She told me that I had to come to the reception to change my address in person.Has she updated my new address that I gave her over the telephone this morning? Will I get the letter or not?

As I am unable to speak to my doctor I asked for an appointment to see him. She said "the first available appointment she has is 8.30am on Wednesday.

Despite the consultants concerns that this particular sore is 'serious and needs to be chopped out', the receptionist E.W. is not taking this matter seriously and is very unhelpful to the point of obstructive.

My concerns are as follows:-

Receptionists are the frontline of patients healthcare. Any receptionist who is found to be obstructive and/or abusing their powers (malfeasance) should be dealt with immediately.

If it is a fact that GP.s cannot do a direct referral to a specific consultant,  nor refer susipicious lesions other than melanomas as urgent cases, then there needs to be major changes in the system.

The above concerns need to be addressed politically for the health and welfare of the public in general, especially for patients with undiagnosed skin cancers who need prompt and efficient treatment to save their lives.

22nd May 2010

I had a colonoscopy today. The consultant found some chronic inflammation and has taken a couple of biopsies. I must say that my care, treatment and the cleanliness of the ward was of the highest standard that I have ever experienced in any hospital, privately or on the N.H.S.

The consultant also noticed a sore on my back that I have had quite a while. He said that it looks like it could be something 'nasty' and that 'it needs to be chopped out'. He repeated this several times and also said that he was serious and that I need to see my G.P. for a referral. He checked my other sores but he wasn't concerned about those. He said that they were skin damage. I thought this sore was just a bad version of the ones that I have had for years.

10th May 2010

It has been a painful and distressing journey but finally I am starting to get answers. A recent C.T. scan has shown that I have bowel wall thickening in my sigmoid and ascending colon. I am due to have colonoscopy within the next couple of weeks.

I have breast lumps and other problems with my breast, where I had a lump removed in 2003 for a ‘cluster of micro-calcifications’ found when I had a mammogram. My G.P. has referred me to the breast clinic. Although my appointment should be within 2 weeks, there are no available appointments and the wait here in Oldham is 2½ weeks... update 11th May 8.30am. Just had a call from the hospital. They said that I can have an earlier slot but the consultant wants to see me herself. I have chosen to wait those extra few days to see the consultant... UPDATE 17th MAY... There were NO DOCTORS at all at the clinic today!!!

I have been prescribed morphine for several months now to help control the pain that I suffer from. The full story of recent events is very disturbing. I will update in the near future with what has been happening since I last updated this website.

The sores on my body are disturbing my sleep as they itch and burn causing great discomfort. These sores first appeared on my face and back about 18 years ago after a severe allergic reaction to dental aneasthetic that a dentist mistakingly gave me. All my hair fell out too. I was referred to Dr Ead the dermatologist at the Royal Oldham Hospital. His derogatory remarks hindered my health care for many years.

In 2008 I was referred to the dermatology clinic again at R.O.H. I was surprised to see Dr Ead again.  Although he didn't apologise as such, he took a more professional approach this time. He diagnosed seborrhoeic dermatitis but did not prescribe any medication and furthermore he discharged me.... the full story will be on here in the near future.

Although these sores barely leave a scar they are very unsightly when they appear on my face. The only relief from the itching is to remove the scabs and some of the white plugs within them. Some of these plugs appear like spikes and are stuck to the scab. They leave tiny holes that bleed profusely when the plug is removed... UPDATE see 22nd May.