A Southminster man who almost died from salmonella food poisoning is calling for an investigation into the way doctors handled his case.

Barry English, 55, claims his distraught wife Sharon was told to take him to Burnham or Southminster surgery when he was so ill he could not rise from his bed last week.

Doctors at Broomfield Hospital's accident and emergency unit gave Mr England two life saving injections last Thursday when he was rushed in by ambulance after collapsing at their Queenborough Road home with breathing difficulties.

Mr English became violently sick with diarrhoea shortly after they flew into Gatwick Airport last Tuesday after a delayed honeymoon in the Canary Islands, having married last August.

He said: "Sharon telephoned Burnham surgery but the receptionist told her a doctor would be unable to visit and would we go to the surgery - but I was so ill I could not move.

"The next day she called the surgery again as I was getting worse, but again she was told to drive me there, despite describing how ill I was.

"That evening she called the NHS Direct helpline and spoke to a doctor who said he would e-mail Southminster surgery to get a doctor out to him as an emergency.

"Nothing happened, and when Mrs English went to Southminster surgery the next day, she claimed its receptionist told her to bring her husband to their surgery.

Mrs English said: "In desperation I drove to Burnham surgery with a sample and they said a GP would phone me in the morning. I waited until 3pm, but heard nothing.

"At 5pm Barry was breathing heavily and couldn't catch his breath and was complaining of heart pains."

She called a 999 ambulance and her husband was taken to Broomfield Hospital and immediately put on a heart monitor.

Mr English said: "They stunned my heart twice with two injections and the doctors said I was a very lucky man because people die from salmonella poisoning."

Mrs English has written to both surgeries complaining of her husband's lack of treatment.

A spokesman for Maldon & South Chelmsford Primary Care Trust said: "We cannot comment due to patient confidentiality, but, Burnham surgery, in common with all GP practices, has a complaints procedure and will thoroughly investigate any complaint.

"Patients, wherever possible, are encouraged to attend their surgery. When a patient is housebound, or because of illness is unable to, the GP will arrange a home visit."

Published Friday, January 24, 2003

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