No cash, no op, no job...

Peter Thornborrow will be unable to work without a vital cataract operation.

Peter’s cataract case goes to the Commons

A ROYTON man who faces losing his job because he was refused a critical operation, has had his case taken to the House of Commons.

Debbie Abrahams, Oldham East and Saddleworth MP, made a speech last night in which she raised the case of Peter Thornborrow (50) who was refused the NHS cataract operation on grounds of no available funding.

Mr Thornborrow, of Dale Square, is a precision engineer at TP Matrix, Derker, where he works on parts for railways which are safety-critical.

He says he is “flabbergasted” by the decision, as his eyesight is critical to his job. Without the operation he will be unable to work.

But an NHS Oldham spokesman said such operations should start again next month.

Mr Thornborrow’s optician applied for the operation on both of his eyes last November. His GP received a letter saying Mr Thornborrow was on the waiting list but didn’t specify a date for the operation.

Mr Thornborrow said: “I’ve never claimed benefit in my life. I’ve worked since I was 16 and now I desperately need the NHS’s help, I’m refused the treatment. I’ve been to many GP panels but the answer is the same.

“If I can no longer work I’ll have to start claiming benefit. Where’s the sense in that? This situation is doing my head in and I’m appealing with my GP.”

Mrs Abrahams told the Commons: “Despite what the Government says such cuts are affecting our NHS.

“One of my constituents, Peter Thornborrow, was diagnosed with cataracts last year. He is a 50-year-old precision engineer and he has had his cataracts operation refused.

“Cuts are going on and are affecting his ability to work. That is obviously not what we need.

“My surgeries are full of the tragic consequences the Government’s policies as services are cut or rationed.”

An NHS Oldham spokesman said that late last year the decision was made that, temporarily, certain operations would only be carried out if they were urgent, including cataracts and other procedures like tonsil removal, hip and knee operations because hard evidence shows they have limited clinical value for patients, the risks and benefits of the operation are closely matched, or alternatives should be tried before surgery.

Oldham GP Hugh Sturgess, who has been involved in the decisions, with colleagues from Bury and Rochdale, said: “I understand Mr Thornborrow’s concern and want to emphasise that the decision to delay certain operations which were not urgent was not one the local NHS made lightly.

“However I’m pleased to say that, from the end of this week, many people whose symptoms persist, or where other options beside surgery have been tried and have not been successful, will be able to have the operations and should speak to their GP.”