‘GP would not see me over lump which they said was an infection. It was cancer. Now I’ve been given year to live’

CALLER TO NATIONAL TV SHOW BREAKS DOWN AS HE RELATES STORY OF COVID FRUSTRATION

A DEVASTATED caller revealed on national TV how he was refused face-to-face doctors appointments for months due to Covid-19 - and that when he was eventually seen he was told he may just have 12 months to live.

Nick, who was diagnosed with cancer at Leicester Royal Infirmary, took part in a phone-in on the Jeremy Vine Show, on Channel 5, where he said he was “categorically refused” an appointment with a doctor – and told to take a photo of the area of concern and send it in to be examined.

He said he was told he could not see a doctor in person with his complaint due to social distancing rules and a backlog of patients on GP lists.

After pleading with doctors to see him face-to-face, Nick, who is from Northampton, found that his cancer is inoperable and he might have just 12 months to live.

Nick broke down in tears during the call and said the series of events were a rollercoaster of emotions.

He was initially relieved when the doctors rang him back saying the mark on his skin was an infection and he was told to take antibiotics.

The emotional caller said: “I took the photograph and sent it in and to my delight they rang me back a few hours later and said ‘the doctor says you have got an infection. We’ll give you some antibiotics.’

“I took the antibiotics, obviously, for over a week and several weeks later my wife said to me ‘you need to ring the doctor again, it’s getting worse.

“So I rang the doctor again to be categorically told the doctors wouldn’t see me.”

The caller said he pleaded to be seen by a doctor, saying that he had been double-jabbed for

Covid-19 and promising to wear a mask and even rubber gloves as he insisted on getting a face-to-face appointment.

“Anyway, they did see me this time and they referred me to have a biopsy done, at which they told me it was cancerous.

“I was then referred to Leicester Royal Infirmary, where I was told that because of the delay, it was inoperable and I had less than 12 months to live unless I had therapy.

“I’m now having therapy but I’m in terrible pain and it’s just disgraceful

He added: “If the doctor had seen me back in February, I’m sure they could have been able to operate and remove it.

“I have since shown that photograph to many, many medical professionals and none of them can believe that I wasn’t referred directly to dermatology to have it inspected.

“What I don’t understand is that I went to my dentist, who is working in your mouth, only inches away, and he could see you, but you couldn’t see a GP. It just doesn’t make sense.”

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