A HEREFORD woman has criticised the NHS for a delay in treating her 81-year-old mother, which she said led to a deterioration in her condition.

Rebecca Edmonds said her mother, Eileen, had been feeling ill for four months but despite repeated visits to her GP at Quay House in Hereford, numerous blood tests and liaison between the GP and consultants at Hereford Hospital, she said there was a failure to diagnose.

Mrs Eileen Edmonds was eventually diagnosed with a rare condition of vasculitis called Churg Strauss Syndrome, after months of describing a leaden feeling in her feet, which then spread up her knees to her right arm.

Ms Edmonds said: "As a direct consequence, no form of treatment was provided.

"The symptoms worsened dramatically during this period."

She said when her mother was finally admitted to hospital the symptoms became worse again with pain in her upper legs, pain standing up and pins and needles.

Ms Edmonds has filed a formal complaint to the Wye Valley NHS Trust and called for immediate action.

Her mum is now home and receiving chemotherapy on a fortnightly basis. She was due to a see a specialist in Birmingham yesterday.

Ms Edmonds added: "My mother is no better at all. In fact she is arguably marginally worse.

"She has started chemotherapy which obviously is an indication, if you like, of how severe the manifestation of the disease is. You would only give these sort of aggressive drugs if it was a severe situation."

She said timely diagnosis is very important and her mother's quality of life is completely destroyed.

Medical director Susan Gilby from the trust said: "We are liaising closely with Rebecca and Eileen whilst we continue to provide treatment and the trust investigates this complaint.

"We are therefore unable to comment further at this stage."