Moniaive mum slams 'medical negligence' after son's wait for life-changing procedure

A teenage boy’s life is “on hold” while he waits for a routine procedure to rectify his double vision.

Euan Phillips, 17, has been waiting more than two years for surgery at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

But the specialist surgeon only comes to the hospital once a month – and only if theatre and staff resources allow.

Euan’s frustrated mum Eleanor, 49, said her son is permanently seeing double which is having a “devastating effect on his life at home and at school”.

And she has accused the health board of “medical negligence” for leaving Euan – who had surgery for a malignant brain tumour a decade ago – “in limbo”.

Speaking to Media Scotland she said: “After an accidental bang to the head in 2021, Euan was left with a squint and persistent double vision.

"Medical staff were informed back then but it wasn’t until last May that he was finally put on a list for a small procedure to inject botox into his eye, so that the surgeon can see how far it needs to be moved to fix the squint in a further operation.

“But he’s still waiting and we don’t know how much longer it’s going to be for.

“We don’t seem to be any further forward since 2021 and it just feels like medical negligence now.”

Wallace Hall Academy S5 pupil Euan, from Moniaive, has had to sit out PE lessons at school, can’t see a computer screen properly and constantly sees two images of everything.

Eleanor added: “Seeing double all the time is totally debilitating for Euan. It’s having a devastating and detrimental effect on his life,.

“He was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour when he was six.

“At that time, he was left with a squint after surgery that was dealt with simply.

“He is crying out for help but we’ve been told he can’t be referred to any other health board in Scotland for the procedure.

“We could go private, but it would probably need to be done in Newcastle by the surgeon who would be doing it in Dumfries.

“My husband and I have paid national insurance all our lives for NHS treatment and Euan is still just a child.

“I’ve complained to the health board and their final response was that the specialist surgeon only comes to the hospital once a month and only if there’s a free theatre and available staff to cover.

“All we want is a resolution to this so that Euan can start to live his life again.”

A health board spokesman said: “NHS Dumfries and Galloway cannot comment on individual cases.

“Anyone with a concern or complaint is encouraged to contact the patient experience team in the first instance by phoning 01387 241690 or emailing dg.dgpatientexperience@nhs.scot.”

South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said it is “unacceptable that Euan is being forced to suffer vision problems while waiting for this vital surgery”.

He added: “Waiting times in Dumfries and Galloway are a serious problem.

“DGRI is under huge amounts of pressure and unless something changes, long waiting lists are at risk of rising further.

“Patients like Euan, as well as NHS staff, are being forced to deal with the mess Scottish Government has created.

“The people of Dumfries and Galloway deserve better and the government must deal with this chaos by supporting NHS staff and delivering a real catch-up plan.”

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