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10-day op wait for neck break man | 10-day op wait for neck break man |
(40 minutes later) | |
An Ardglass man who broke his neck after falling from scaffolding 10 days ago is still waiting for an operation. | |
Sean Paul Doran, 34, was told he needed surgery to insert metal rods in his neck. He is being cared for at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital. | |
His sister Charlene, from Portaferry, County Down, said his family was "going through agony" because of the delay. | His sister Charlene, from Portaferry, County Down, said his family was "going through agony" because of the delay. |
The Royal Hospitals Trust said Mr Doran required highly specialised surgery, complicated by an existing condition. | |
It also said patients with life-threatening injuries would be given priority. | It also said patients with life-threatening injuries would be given priority. |
Mr Doran, who broke his neck in two places, is unable to move without risk of further injury. | |
He told the BBC doctors have told him his operation is scheduled to take place next Friday, but he said that was not guaranteed. | |
'Excuses' | |
His sister has praised the nursing staff but said she felt let down by the NHS. | |
She said they had been given "a series of excuses" over the delays in treatment. | |
"The first one was that it would need two surgeons and they only had one surgeon to perform it," said Charlene Doran. | |
Mr Doran already has arthritis in his spine which doctors have said complicates the surgery. | |
The hospital said the operation had to be carried out by a surgeon with the appropriate skills. |