- guardian.co.uk, Friday 14 January 2000 03.48 GMT
Mavis Skeet, 74, will now be sent home from Leeds general infirmary. Doctors say there is nothing more they can do because the tumour in her oesophagus has grown too large and pierced her windpipe in two places.
She should have undergone an operation to remove it five weeks ago. But her first date for surgery was cancelled because her anaesthetist was down with flu. Three further operations were stopped because of a shortage of intensive care beds at the hospital caused by the large numbers of elderly people succumbing to flu and needing urgent treatment for serious complications.
According to Mrs Skeet's daughter Jane, 32, who lives in Wakefield, the cancer that was small enough to remove in surgery five weeks ago has now spread too far to make that possible.
"My mum is devastated and very angry," she said. "I know that if she had had the operation five weeks ago the cancer would not have spread to her windpipe. The doctors have said as much to me.
"I'm so angry. The government say they are dealing with the situation, but they are obviously not. I don't think it's just because of the flu crisis either.
"I think they are just using it as an excuse because there are simply not enough intensive care beds. The flu crisis has just tipped it over the edge."
A course of radiotherapy has already failed. Miss Skeet says the doctors have told her mother she cannot have further treatment. But she will not be discharged from the hospital until doctors have found a way to enable her to eat normally - she is at present fed intravenously. "It's a disgrace," added Miss Skeet. "There must be so many people out there that are in a similar situation or in an even worse position than my mother."
Her mother has received an apology from Leeds general infirmary for the delay.
A spokesman said yesterday: "The treatment of Mrs Skeet's complex clinical problems continues. Discussions between clinical staff and the patient and her family are still taking place about the most appropriate course of treatment following recent diagnostic tests."
Liam Fox, the Tory health spokesman, said the case illustrated the government's incompetence. "How can it be that, at the beginning of the 21st century, in the world's fifth largest economy, an entirely predictable, cyclical flu outbreak can bring the health service to its knees?"
Most flu casualties are the frail and elderly, who are recommended by the department of health to have a flu vaccination in October or November. But take-up of the flu jab has not been high.
And while the flu mainly affects the elderly, it has also taken its toll on the young.
Mandy Nicholson, 26, from east London, was found dead in her bed by her husband, Daniel, two days after Christmas, five weeks after giving birth to their daughter, Susan. She had flu which triggered a fatal bout of pneumonia.
The latest flu figures, published yesterday, showed that the outbreak had just edged over the norm for the time of year.
Thousands of people have had their operations cancelled this week as beds were commandeered for those with complications resulting from flu.
