Man takes legal advice over planned operation

1:00pm Saturday 9th August 2008

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A LEDBURY man is seeking legal advice after what he claims is an unacceptable delay in treatment at Hereford County Hospital.

Andrew Cowdery, of Belle Orchard, has a lump the size of a grapefruit protruding from his stomach.

He claims it developed over the incision of an appendix operation carried out at the hospital on February 5.

Since then he has been unable to work in his job as a driver, is in constant pain, finds it difficult to sit, has been in and out of Hereford County Hospital several times and been told that he needed surgery to repair an “incisional hernia” caused by the appendix operation.

Mr Cowdery has been told he has been booked into the Good Hope Hospital at Sutton Coldfield for September 11.

His father, former licensee Paul Cowdery who lives at Bodenham, said his son had not received official confirmation of his September 11 date.

He believed his son had been badly treated and that he should have had the damaged hernia repaired months ago at Hereford County Hospital.

“Instead of that he is just hanging around, has spent all his savings, is unable to lift anything and is in a lot of pain,” he said, describing the delay in dealing with the situation as “totally unacceptable” and saying his son had no alternative but to seek legal advice.

Andrew Cowdery said his care by hospital staff had been very good but having to wait until September for surgery was too long.

Katrina Wilcox, Hereford County Hospital press officer, said no official complaint had been received from Mr Cowdery and because of patient confidentiality she could not comment.