36 weeks and counting: Pensioner's 'criminal' wait for operation

Marjorie Barratt, aged 90, was referred by an orthopaedic surgeon at Cannock Chase Hospital and was advised she needed the operation in September last year.

But more than eight months later she is still waiting, having been told by hospital staff there is not enough money to pay for her to have the procedure. But hospital chiefs denied that was the reason and have said they will look into the delay.

Her son Martin said the long wait is damaging his mother's health – she recently fell after her hip gave way – and said she was previously 'pretty sprightly' and 'sharp as a tack'.

Angered by her treatment, Martin, 51, has complained to hospital chief David Loughton and written to the Prime Minister.

He said: "Her hip is now causing her lots of pain and she is not getting around very much. The less mobile she gets the less fit she is.

"I am worried it will get to the point where she won't be able to have the operation at all.

"It is disgraceful that a lady reaches 90 and this is how she is treated. I am outraged. It is criminal frankly."

Mrs Barratt, who previously lived in Tettenhall, first had problems with her hip following a knee replacement last year.

Following her referral on September 15 she was eventually scheduled to have the hip operation on March 21.

But just 10 days before the procedure, it was cancelled. Martin was told this was because there was insufficient staff to open the necessary ward.

After being frustrated in his search for answers, Martin, who lives in Surrey, wrote to Mr Loughton and complained on May 18.

Martin believes the hospital chief – who this month was found to be 'dismissive' of allegations about death rates and fraud made by a staff member – is ultimately responsible for his mother's treatment.

He said: "As the chief executive of the trust he is responsible for everything which happens. He has a fiduciary responsibility to provide good care."

Martin also has concerns about how his complaint is being handled by the trust. He received a reply from a patient experience team administrator on Tuesday stating a senior manger would review the complaint.

In a second letter to Mr Loughton, Martin said: "I am disappointed, but not altogether surprised, that you have not shown me the common courtesy of responding to my letter directly.

"The proposed due process outlined in the letter, namely that one of your managers will act as 'Investigating Officer' into my complaint (against you) and that the final response will be signed off by you, rather insults the intelligence. It would be laughable were it not for the continued implications for my mother's health.

"However, it is also abundantly clear you have failed to grasp the seriousness of the level of systemic failings in respect of my mother's care that you are responsible for."

Speaking to the Express & Star, Martin, said: "The over-riding impression I get from the letter the hospital sent me was that it was dismissive and I was being told to 'go away'. That is what has riled me so much. They seem to not grasp the seriousness of the level of systematic failings in my mother's care."

Gwen Nuttall, chief operating officer of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: "We don't want anyone to be waiting for longer than necessary for treatment and we will be contacting the family to listen to their concerns and see what can be done to schedule and complete the treatment.

"It is not correct to say that there is not enough money to pay for the procedure.

"Patients and their families are our first priority, and we will take these complaints very seriously. In the first instance we will look to minimise any further waiting."

Earlier this month an independent inquiry found Mr Loughton was 'dismissive' of the claims made by whistleblower Sandra Haynes-Kirkbright and tried to 'kick them into the long grass' ahead of a key visit by a health watchdog.

Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright, who has been suspended from her £55,000 role as a coder since 2012, alleged the trust had fraudulently made money by charging for treatments it had not performed.

The 52-year-old, from Stafford. also raised concerns that death rates were being made to look better than they were because they were wrongly registered.

But Mr Loughton told investigators that 'no-one cares' about allegations of fraud and that some people would say 'good on you' for 'fiddling' figures to get more money for the trust. Mr Loughton has insisted there is no truth in her allegations about death rates and fraud.