Micro-lighting OAP says NHS blunder left him in sheer agony

AN adventurous pensioner who loved micro-lighting claims a hip operation has left him in agony and unable to do his favourite sports.

And Roddy Kyle is furious that after suffering nerve damage during the procedure, NHS Fife is making him wait in line for the best part of a year for a specialist to rectify the problem.

The retired army man, from St Monan’s in Fife, said: “I’m in agony and making me wait is adding insult to injury.”

Engineer Roddy was so sprightly at 75, he thought nothing of walking 15 miles a day round the Fife Coastal Path or taking to the skies in a micro-light plane.

But after a hip replacement at the Victoria Hospital last August, he had to rely on morphine for pain and has been left with a pronounced limp.

He said: “If, as the consultant believes may have happened, nerve damage was caused when they gave me a spinal epidural, it’s adding insult to injury to be told I have to wait at the back of a very long queue to see a neurologist.

“Given the NHS made the mistake, surely I should be seen immediately before any further damage sets in?”

Roddy, who spent 14 years in the army and served in Borneo and Maralinga, spent a further 12 years as a reserve before leaving the military, retired and moved to Fife from Inverness almost four years ago.

Roddy said: “Before I had the hip replacement, I was very active. As well as walking miles, I‘d even begun micro-light flying.

“But now I’m limping, falling over and having to use a stick because my right foot has ‘dropped’ due to nerve damage.”

Roddy claims his orthopaedic surgeon admitted there had been a problem with his procedure.

He said: “He suggested it might be nerve damage due to the epidural.

“But instead of getting someone to sort it out, I’ve been shoved to the back of the queue and the waiting lists are so long, it’s at least 35 weeks and counting.”

Roddy claims he hass repeatedly asked to be notitifed of a cancellation, but has been told a new administration system does not give out cancelled appointments, and there is only one neurologist at the hospital.

His lawyer Cameron Fyfe said: “In a situation like this, Roddy expected to see the neurologist who could possibly rectify the problem fairly quickly so he is no longer in pain at the very least.

“Instead, he’s suffered a series of failings and is now expected to wait at the back of a very long queue which isn’t acceptable.”

Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie MSP said: “Mr Kyle is experiencing a lot of pain following his hip operation.

“He has been transformed from a fit and healthy man to someone with a significant disability.

“It would therefore be reasonable for the NHS in Fife to offer him an early appointment to investigate how this can be addressed. “

NHS Fife Medical Director, Dr Frances Elliot said: “We have been in frequent dialogue with Mr Kyle over many months. However, we are unable to discuss the care of any individual for reasons of patient confidentiality.”