NI neurology recall one year on: 'More counselling for patients needed'

Charities and patients have called for more emotional support for neurology patients caught up in the biggest recall Northern Ireland has ever seen.

Neurology relates to patients with brain conditions like MS, Parkinson's, stroke and Motor Neurone Disease.

Over 3,000 patients were called back to have their cases reviewed, amid concerns over Consultant Neurologist Dr Michael Watt.

It comes a year after the first recall was announced for patients who were under the active care of the consultant.

A second cohort- those who had been discharged to their GP was then announced in October.

The Belfast Trust apologised and the Department of Health announced a review.

At the time, Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride reiterated a previous apology on behalf of the Department:

"Of course I'm concerned about the impact.

"As I've said before, I've apologised, I apologise again to those individuals who will be receiving a letter today inviting them back for a recall appointment.

"But as I've said also, we will put this right."

To date there has been no update on how many patients have been misdiagnosed.

Derek McCambley was caught up in phase one of the recall:

"All sorts of thoughts go through your head.

"First of all you wonder how the situation arose in the first place and then you begin thinking do I have MS, do I not have MS?"

The Bangor man had his diagnosis confirmed after eight weeks but he told Downtown Cool FM it was the most anxious wait of his life.

Derek is actively involved in support groups and says he knows many patients who have been misdiagnosed:

"We know anecdotally from people who have contacted our counselling service that there are situations where people have both been told that they had MS and it's transpired that they didn't.

"Equally, people who were told they hadn't MS and it's transpired that they have."

In a statement, the Belfast Trust said 'the second phase of the neurology recall is currently being completed.'

Charities here say there should be better support mechanisms for patients in the meantime.

David Galloway is the Director of the MS Society in Northern Ireland:

"We've heard from a number of people who've been in that situation, so they'd lived as a person with MS for a number of years.

"In some respects that becomes part of their identity, it's the explanation for the way in which their body is behaving the way it is and then to have that changed many years later...

"It throws all that up in the air and makes them wonder 'what was that all about?'

The charity supports patients and families and says misdiagnosis can turn their world's upside down:

"People were told that their condition had actually been misdiagnosed in the past and had to embark on a new treatment path.

"We're anxious about those people because the emotional impact of hearing that news has been significant for them and their families."

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