A SEVENTY-FIVE-year-old Four Marks man is taking the NHS to task over the treatment of his wife.
Len Topliss, who lost his wife, Gwendolen (65), in August this year, is calling for investigations to be undertaken at the Royal South Hants Hospital in Southampton following incidents which, he says, are well documented and which should never have happened.
Already wary following an incident which, in 1997, involved a rushed operation to save the sight in Mrs Topliss's remaining good eye, the couple were doubly concerned when in July last year Gwen discovered a lump under her arm.
According to Mr Topliss, the lump was removed at Winchester following a biopsy and was later confirmed as lymphoma - a cancer.
Chemotherapy resulted in Gwen being given the all clear.
However, by March the cancer was back and, following a holiday, Gwen began a programme of ten one-week courses of therapy.
"But near the end of the treatment it was apparent to the doctors that it was not working," said Mr Topliss, whose wife then endured a series of lumbar punctures, one given, he claims, by a female doctor who took 15 attempts to get it right.
By contrast, Mr Topliss was full of praise for consultant Professor Peter Johnson who then suggested a course of treatment which, he said, would be "horrible" but which had a 75 per cent success rate.
Gwen was duly admitted on July 4 this year for the three or four weeks of treatment needed.
According to Mr Topliss, his wife was put into the Steve Mills Rooms, special rooms with their own facilities and wash basins for all visitors.
"Her immune cells were removed and stored for re-introduction to the body later. She was, as with all patients there, susceptible to any infection. Because of this she was allowed no flowers or fruit that might introduce bacteria into this air conditioned, sterile area.
"While she did suffer, diarrhoea, sickness and constant use of an oxygen mask, it was thought to be in a good cause," said Len Topliss who was, nevertheless, concerned about other aspects of the treatment.
Food was passed to her through a cupboard but, because of the treatment she did not want to eat and it stood around for a long time before being cleared away.
According to Mr Topliss, the nurses always washed before entering the sterile area, as did any other visitors. They were not, however, required to wear a gown or a face mask.
On one occasion, when Mr Topliss was visiting his wife, a female doctor entered the room and started treating Mrs Topliss without washing.
"When challenged she said that she did not have the time to wash, but then proceeded to don a pair of sterile gloves from her pocket," he told The Herald.
The room had a help line, although it was difficult to reach from the bed. On one occasion, according to her husband, Mrs Topliss was knocked over by the strongly sprung door and lay on the floor, unable to summon help, for half an hour until found.
The most harrowing experience endured by the Four Marks woman was said to have occured on July 31 when she was taken from the sanitised room for an X-ray. This was apparently taken as soon as she arrived in the X-ray department and she was helped back into a pushchair. It appears that everyone in the department then went home leaving Mrs Topliss by herself.
After half an hour of trying to call for help she despaired and decided to make her own way along the corridor. Eventually after a 40-yard walk in her weak state, she reached reception where help eventually arrived.
She returned to her room two hours after she had left the sterile conditions, shattered and was physically sick.
"Gwen had not set a foot on the ground for three weeks and had almost collapsed three times" according to Mr Topliss, who was further angered since he had been led to believe that his wife was, in fact, on the road to recovery and would be coming home at the weekend.
He had returned to Four Marks elated and, as had been his habit throughout 44 years of married life, had rung the hospital to let Gwen know that he was back safely.
Not only was the message not passed on but he was not told of his wife's traumatic experience with the X-ray department.
Some three hours later, Len Topliss received a telephone call from the hospital checking to see if he was home and saying that his wife had been worried.
The next day (August 1) when Mr Topliss visited his wife "she appeared to have aged 20 years".
She was told she had a viral lung infection and the following day was transferred to a respiratory support unit at Southamton General Hospital where her condition gradually deteriorated.
Gwen Topliss died on Tuesday, August 14, with her husband at her side.
Mr Topliss has since written to the hospital complaining of the treatment of his wife in the hope that "no other poor soul is put through the trauma Gwen had to endure".
While there has been no response as yet about the 15 attempts on delivering a lumbar puncture, Mr Topliss has received appologies for the attitude of the woman doctor who didn't have the time to wash her hands, and for the food which was left in the serving hatch for long periods before being taken away.
According to the clinical services manager for cancer care, Mike Kerton, attention to procedures is to be revised.
Furthermore, following a letter from the chief executive of the Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, it appears the fiasco with the X-ray unit was down to a new radiographer, who was unaware of procedures and failed to inform the portering department that Mrs Topliss had to be returned to the ward, and to the absence of a nurse escort because of staff shortages.
On a more positive note, Mr Topliss has been instrumental in suggesting the introduction within the hospital of Age Concern's Aid Call helpline system which does not require a wall or ceiling fitting but is worn like a necklace or bracelet by the patient and is waterproof. The system is now being considered.
Mr Topliss is further questioning the time taken by the complaints procedure which, he feels, is too lengthy, and is advocating the need to "bring back Matron".
"She wouldn't have allowed staff to behave as they do now," he said.
He firmly believes nursing staff should be better paid if they are to do the job they are required to do to the best of their ability.
His warning is short and to the point: "They have a traumatic job to do and are on their feet most of the day. Look after them as they look after you or lose them."