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04/03/2005
Pensioner's shoulder operation wait row continues
A pensioner who had a shoulder operation repeatedly cancelled has become the cause of a major row between the Labour government and the Conservative Party.
The row erupted on Wednesday, when Conservative leader Michael Howard cited the case of Margaret Dixon, 69, who said that her operation was cancelled seven times, during a Commons debate. Mr Howard attacked Prime Minister Tony Blair in a furious debate, saying that Mrs Dixon was only one of 67,000 NHS patients in England who had operations cancelled last year.
Mrs Dixon, from Penketh, Cheshire, said that her operation, due to take place at Warrington General Hospital, had been cancelled seven times, because the bed she needed, was in a high dependency unit (HDU) that had to be used for emergency cases. However, the hospital claimed that the operation had only been postponed three times.
It had been reported yesterday that Health Secretary John Reid was going to visit Mrs Dixon. However, although he did go to Warrington General Hospital to meet with staff and patients, he turned down the offer to meet with Mrs Dixon. Speaking in a television interview, the Health Secretary said that he felt the offer to meet had come from the Conservatives and accused them of using the case as a political stunt.
Mr Howard also attacked Mr Reid, accusing him of lying about Conservative health policies and he challenged him to withdraw what he considered to be "false" claims.
Mrs Dixon also gave television interviews in which she expressed her disappointment that Mr Reid had not met with her. However, she also said that she did not wish to become a "political football" and said that she only wanted to highlight her case in order to get her operation.
(KMcA/SP)
The row erupted on Wednesday, when Conservative leader Michael Howard cited the case of Margaret Dixon, 69, who said that her operation was cancelled seven times, during a Commons debate. Mr Howard attacked Prime Minister Tony Blair in a furious debate, saying that Mrs Dixon was only one of 67,000 NHS patients in England who had operations cancelled last year.
Mrs Dixon, from Penketh, Cheshire, said that her operation, due to take place at Warrington General Hospital, had been cancelled seven times, because the bed she needed, was in a high dependency unit (HDU) that had to be used for emergency cases. However, the hospital claimed that the operation had only been postponed three times.
It had been reported yesterday that Health Secretary John Reid was going to visit Mrs Dixon. However, although he did go to Warrington General Hospital to meet with staff and patients, he turned down the offer to meet with Mrs Dixon. Speaking in a television interview, the Health Secretary said that he felt the offer to meet had come from the Conservatives and accused them of using the case as a political stunt.
Mr Howard also attacked Mr Reid, accusing him of lying about Conservative health policies and he challenged him to withdraw what he considered to be "false" claims.
Mrs Dixon also gave television interviews in which she expressed her disappointment that Mr Reid had not met with her. However, she also said that she did not wish to become a "political football" and said that she only wanted to highlight her case in order to get her operation.
(KMcA/SP)
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