quote:

A MAN who lost his tongue and vocal cords has been awarded £300,000 in an out-of-court settlement with a GP over the diagnosis of his throat cancer.

Stephen Quinn is no longer able to speak after an operation to stem the spread of throat cancer. In e-mail correspondence with the Western Mail, Mr Quinn, a market trader, said the operation would not have been necessary had his cancer been picked up earlier. Mr Quinn, 56, from Splott, Cardiff, said he had taken his concerns to his GP, Dr RP Bentley of Riverside Health Centre, because of his former work in industry. Mr Quinn said: “I worked in Ely paper mill and so many friends and colleagues have contracted or died of cancer.

“The paper industry is notorious for chemical and dangerous dusts so I had regular check-ups to make sure I was healthy given the toxic environment.

“So when I discovered a lump in my neck in May 2003 I discussed it with my GP. I told him I was concerned that it may be cancer and the disease was prevalent in my family.

“I was finally diagnosed in 2004, but it was so late the operation was my only choice.”

Mr Quinn, who is now also a Welsh ambassador for Cancer Research UK’s Busking for Cancer initiative, said social and public situations are now challenging and his ambition of pursuing a career in HR management and lecturing is over. He runs his business, The Timelord, selling commemorative watches at Cardiff’s Splott market. He said: “I am OK if I am on my own as I don’t need to communicate.

“I loved scuba diving and swimming but that’s over. I had to give my daughter away last year at her wedding and couldn’t make a speech.

“I can’t join in socially in discussions. I just find it easier to stay away from such situations.”

Mr Quinn said his initial anger has passed but he would return the £300,000 to get his voice back. “I used to get very angry about it and feel even worse about the GP. I have let the anger pass but I do get very frustrated with not being able to communicate verbally,” he said.

“I thought I would feel elated in winning the case if only that I had proved that I was right in what I had said.

“I just felt empty and still do.

“It was never about money. I would give it all back tomorrow just to have my voice back.”

A settlement was reached out of court between Mr Quinn and his solicitor Hywel Davies, from Martyn Prowel solicitors, and Dr Bentley who was represented by the Medical Defence Union. Mr Davies told the Western Mail that the “without prejudice settlement” was reached at a meeting in London, three years after Mr Quinn started legal proceedings against his GP.

Mr Davies said: “Stephen alleged that his GP wasn’t quick enough to refer him when he had a lump on the side of his neck.

“This developed into another lump. It turned out he had developed a squamous cell carcinoma [a form of cancer], and the GP failed to report it for seven months.”

Mr Quinn also claimed there was paperwork missing from his medical notes, that false claims were made about letters being sent from his GP to hospitals and that notes were lost when the computer system containing medical records crashed.

Mr Quinn added: “I also had to see a neck/oral cancer specialist from the Sheffield NHS Trust who dealt with similar cases. In his opinion had I been in his trust I would have only needed a small operation and radio- and chemotherapy.

“I would still have a very normal and very different life from what I have now. This was also reiterated from my surgeon and the Velindre Hospital cancer consultant.”

The Medical Defence Union said last night that Dr Bentley declined to comment. It said that as an organisation it does not pass comment on individual cases. When contacted directly, Dr Bentley referred the Western Mail to the union.