Stroke victims anger over postcode lottery
7:30am Friday 13th September 2013 in News
A STROKE victim says a healthcare postcode lottery has left him unable to get lifechanging hospital treatment.
Michael Wilson, 65, of Perry Road, Benfleet, is desperate for a course of chiropractor treatment after suffering a stroke two years ago.
The stroke caused him to temporarily lose the use of an arm and leg, but when he recovered from that, he was left with crippling back pain.
Southend Hospital has put him through a number of treatments, including courses of medication, two painful epidurals and two courses of physiotherapy, but nothing has worked.
He thought he had found the answer when he used the last of his savings to pay privately for a chiropractor who greatly improved his condition immediately.
For the improvement to continue, he must undergo a full course of treatment, but he is unable to afford it. He has asked Castle Points Clinical Commissioning Group to fund the treatment, but the request was refused.
Mr Wilson said: When I first had the stroke, I lost use of my leg and hand. It wasnt easy, but I got it back. When I first went to a chiropractor, I couldnt move my neck, but after the first session, I could. After leaving him, I could even run.
If I was in north Essex, I could get the treatment. This is supposed to be a national health service.
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Stroke victim’s anger over ‘postcode lottery’