Stop killing patients to save money

STROKE victims risk getting a Third-World health service in Guernsey, according to a recovering patient. Anthony Fossey, 44, who spent two weeks on life support, criticised the disbandment of the specialist stroke unit at Princess Elizabeth Hospital, a move specialist Dr Steve Evans claimed is putting lives at risk.

'It boils down to the States killing people to save a few pennies to fill the black hole - can't they get rid of the pen-pushers instead?' Mr Fossey said.

'Strokes are the third biggest killer - so why risk lives?'

But Health minister Peter Roffey said that there was no cause for concern and that the split might not be permanent.

'I really don't think that people with relatives should be worried about these comments because we have excellent care for stroke victims in Guernsey, as Mr Fossey would have experienced had his stroke occurred here.'

Mr Fossey's heart stopped twice after he suffered a blood clot following a motorcycle accident in Asia.

He was horrified that in his view Guernsey could end up with a health-care system worse than that of Thailand, where GDP per capita is barely a fifth of the island's.

'Thailand is meant to be a Third World country and Guernsey first rate, so I really think that the States should re-evaluate this.'

'If it had not been for the department in Thailand, my wife would be without a husband. The care they provided me with was excellent.'

Mr Fossey will never be able to remember his ordeal, which affected his left arm and has left him with a limp.

'I basically died out there,' he said.

Back in Guernsey, he struggled to get his life back together.

'I applied for 200 jobs but because word had got round that I'd had a stroke, no one would employ me,' he said.

Nearing the end of his tether after two-and-a-half years, Mr Fossey was given a chance by a gardening-services business.

And he recently spent a normal Christmas with his wife for the first time in years.

Dr Evans, of the Medical Specialist Group, earlier this month protested against the closure of Sherwill Ward and the splitting of services for stroke patients across two sites.

Acute care remains at the PEH, but rehabilitation has been moved to the King Edward VII.

Dr Evans argued that a coordinated centre was vital for successful stroke recovery.

Mr Fossey was disgusted to hear about the moves.

'If the States would like to speak to somebody who has been through this problem, speak to me,' he said.

Deputy Roffey said he had taken on board parts of Dr Evans' criticism and that he hoped the separation of the units would be temporary.

'I agree that acute care and rehabilitation should be under the same roof and that is the way things are moving. The two departments will be moved back together if the States approves the proposed new clinical block later this year,' he said.