A hospital today apologised for a series of blunders that resulted in a patient being treated for a burnt toe having his leg amputated.
The patient, a diabetic saw a consultant at Bishop Auckland General Hospital in County Durham five times for treatment to his big toe.
The patient was suffering from severe pain. His GP diagnosed him as suffering from gangrene.
The big toe on his left foot was removed, and days later his left leg was amputated below the knee.
The man, from Newton Aycliffe in County Durham had previously had two toes removed when minor wounds became infected as a result of poor circulation caused by his diabetes.
He then burnt his toe and became concerned that the wound displayed symptoms he had felt before.
He was seen by medical staff at the hospital and referred to a consultant.
His GP referred him to a diabetologist in order to avoid further amputations.
Two weeks after being referred to the consultant, the pain had become so bad that the patient called his GP.
It was then that the toe was removed and days later his lower left leg.
A report from the Independent Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman watchdog criticised the care he had received from the hospital as a high-risk patient and because the gangrene was likely to have led to the more extensive amputation.
A spokesman for the County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said they had apologised to the patient.
They said they had introduced new guidelines for the management of diabetic patients with foot problems in theiraccident and emergency departments.
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May I thank you for the many hours of hard work you must have put in on behalf of others, and myself and for the sympathetic and caring manner in which I have been treated by you. You are a credit to your profession: Bill, Herts
