EXCLUSIVE My brother was told his stomach pains were just constipation and he had 'nothing to worry about'... it turned out to be deadly cancer and he died just four weeks later
It took six GP appointments and four rushed trips to A&E before doctors finally realised something was seriously wrong with Thomas Barker.
By the time they did, it was too late.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Crime Scene Cleaners review – Warning! This show is truly vomit-inducing
It has been a while since we had a good, honest point-and-boke documentary, is it not? 'Boke', for those of you unfamiliar with the term, means to be sick. I use it here because the onomatopoeia gives a better sense of the fight that precedes the act, especially if – say – a programme is unspooling in front of you that keeps the nausea building until you are past the point of no return. Viewer discretion – and a plastic bowl – is advised. So, then, to Crime Scene Cleaners, a 10-part documentary – yes, 10! – that does exactly what it says on the tin. It follows teams from British and American companies as they move in after bodies have been removed and evidence bagged and tagged by police to clean up anything left behind. 'Anything' can mean blood – spattered, accumulated in the bottom of a bath tub, trailed along a floor, soaked into a carpet, stained into grouting, arterially sprayed along skirting boards. Hepatitis B, we are informed via a dramatic voiceover, can survive for up to seven days in dried blood, hepatitis C for up to six weeks on hard surfaces. Clever pathogens. 'Anything' can also mean faeces. 'Anything' can mean body fluids – the worst phrase in the English language – that have leaked from 'every hole in your body' during 'natural decomposition' into a mattress, perhaps, or on to the floor, if your death has gone undiscovered for long enough. They may coalesce around the legs of a bedside table and leave marks when a team shifts the furniture to start returning the house to a saleable condition. 'Anything' will almost certainly mean maggots ('they can be quite voracious'), flies and an overwhelming stench. 'I can't describe it,' says Lauren Baker, the hands-on founder of LIT Biohazard & Trauma Cleaning Specialists. 'But, once you've smelled it, you're not going to want to smell it again.' Noted. So very noted. We watch Baker and her team deal with the consequences of an unattended death in a bungalow in Kent. They are not told anything about the scene, although viewers are invited to wonder about the possibility of foul play by the attention the programme pays to a smashed window. The information that this was how the police gained access to the home is withheld until the last minute, which adds the necessary touch of manipulation without which no essentially voyeuristic documentary is complete. Baker opens the window to let the departed's spirit out – an ancient touch in a room now full of modern equipment and chemical cleaning sprays – and they get to work. In the US, life is a little different. Victor Robles, the owner of Bioclean in Los Angeles, reminisces about the time his company had to clean up a mile-long blood trail by morning. It took 60 man-hours, but they got it done. We see them take a call from a landlord to a property in which most of the blood patterns described earlier can be found. We learn that blood cannot simply be sluiced down the plughole of a bath or shower – it must be soaked up, bagged and disposed of safely. They take up the carpets quickly: 'You want to avoid saturation below floor level.' We are told that all of this was the result of an accidental injury, which the tenant survived. Americans are either a lot tougher or they come with extra blood. Over in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Larry Douglas – a former detective and now the owner of Xtreme Cleaners– muses on what life has taught him. 'In 22 year,' he says, 'I've never found an intact eyeball, because they're so fragile.' One of his teams is given a car to decontaminate. They seem to be suiting and booting up to an excessive degree – until we learn that the car was used to transport fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that is scything through the US and which is so potent that if you breathe in airborne particles of the stuff, you can overdose and die. A simple traffic stop can become fatal for an officer if they disturb the wrong goods in the boot. We see bodycam footage of them being overcome and saved by their colleagues. It is astonishing. But you live and learn, don't you? And then die, hopefully peacefully and not alone. Crime Scene Cleaners is available on Channel 4
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
NHS repeatedly failing in care of stroke patients, watchdog says
The NHS has repeatedly failed in its diagnosis and care of stroke patients, England's health ombudsman has said. According to the World Stroke Association, more than 12 million people worldwide will have their first stroke this year and 6.5 million will die as a result. Strokes are one of the UK's biggest killers, causing about 34,000 deaths a year, and the single biggest cause of severe disability. The NHS Fast campaign aims to raise awareness of the most common symptoms of stroke – facial drooping, arm weakness and slurred speech – and the need for prompt treatment, including transfer to a specialist stroke unit within four hours. Without it, a stroke can result in death or long-term disabilities such as paralysis, memory loss and communication problems. Figures from the Sentinel stroke national audit programme (SSNAP), which assesses the quality of stroke care in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, show that just 46.6% of patients are directly admitted to a specialist stroke unit within four hours of symptoms starting. The ombudsman looks into cases where a patient or family has complained to an NHS care provider but been dissatisfied with the outcome. It is seen as a last resort once other complaints procedures have been exhausted. The ombudsman said the number of investigations it had conducted over poor stroke care, including not spotting symptoms and delays to diagnosis, rose by two-thirds in the four financial years to March 2025, from 17 to 28. The number of complaints also rose over this period from 318 to 396. Rebecca Hilsenrath, the chief executive of England's health ombudsman service, said these included repeated failings in diagnosis, nursing care, communication, and treatment of patients with strokes. 'Over the past four years we have seen a significant rise in the number of complaints and investigations related to people who have suffered a stroke, including typical and atypical presentations. This is particularly concerning as early diagnosis is crucial in giving patients the best opportunity for successful treatment and recovery,' she said. 'These investigations all represent instances where organisations involved have not identified a failing. It is important that the NHS operates in a learning culture and that when things go wrong clinicians recognise what has happened and put it right for those involved, as well as improve care and treatment for future patients.' The ombudsman said clinicians needed to act more quickly when they suspect a stroke, even if the patient presents with atypical symptoms. They also should improve communication and collaboration to make treatment more joined up. Juliet Bouverie, the chief executive of the Stroke Association, said the findings were 'deeply concerning'. She said: 'Whilst dedicated stroke professionals provide compassionate care, without urgent investment and action, stroke patients will continue to face unacceptable variations in treatment and support. We're also calling for a wider cardiovascular plan, with a focus on stroke, to ensure stroke survivors have the best chance of making a good recovery.' Prof Martin James, the SSNAP clinical director, said: 'In the national stroke audit we have seen a significant fall in the proportion of patients with acute stroke who are getting specialist care and treatment in a timely fashion on a stroke unit. 'We know that this reflects a whole range of acute pressures on hospitals that are not unique to stroke, but we also know how important that timely specialist care can be for reducing complications and disability after stroke, so it must be a priority for all hospitals to provide access to a specialist stroke unit within four hours of arrival for all their patients.'
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
How digital health tools helped a family navigate a rare diagnosis
When Tim and Jeannie Kirkland's son, Oskar, was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder at just two years old, they began a seven-year journey through the Australian health system. Oskar has immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), a condition that causes unusually low platelet counts and can result in severe bruising and bleeding. While the initial prognosis was reassuring – most childhood cases of ITP resolve within weeks – Oskar's condition didn't follow the typical script. 'Weeks passed and he was still getting irregular bruising in soft spots you wouldn't expect to see: under his eyes and on his belly and back,' Jeannie says. Blood tests revealed consistently low platelets, which are essential for blood clotting. Oskar's treatment included regular blood tests – at times daily – as well as steroid courses and, eventually, immunoglobulin therapy when he was flown to Perth after falling and hitting his head. The Kirklands coordinated care across multiple providers and locations, regularly making the seven-hour drive from Kalgoorlie to Perth with Oskar and their three other children for what was often just a 20-minute specialist appointment. Oskar has immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), a condition that causes unusually low platelet counts and can result in severe bruising and bleeding. They juggled hospital stays, test results, different pathology services, prescriptions and follow-ups with multiple specialists, who frequently couldn't access previous test results from other providers and needed Oskar to endure repeat testing. Tim says: 'Doctors love data and so they were always wanting to do more tests on Oskar – they've got a case they're trying to solve.' Tim and Jeannie became concerned about subjecting their little boy to so many tests, some of which were invasive, while also wanting the best possible care for him. This changed when their GP suggested they make use of My Health Record to access Oskar's key health information in one place. They could now better track Oskar's health and were more easily able to show doctors a record of test results to reduce the need to have them done again. Access to My Health Record and, in particular, the test results, gave Oskar's parents the opportunity to review his results and be informed of early warning signs that could be a red flag for changes in his health. This information proved even more useful for Oskar's parents when the family moved from Western Australia to Tasmania in 2023. 'It was a huge benefit to move to Tasmania, find a GP here, and be able to say, 'here's everything that's happened in the last five years',' Tim says. 'It was just really, really great to have all that history and information in one place.' Dr Amandeep Hansra, a GP and the chief clinical adviser (medicine) at the Australian Digital Health Agency, says the system is designed to empower Australians to manage their health. Dr Amandeep Hansra, chief clinical adviser (medicine), consulting with a patient. 'Knowledge is power,' Hansra says. 'Having access to information about your own healthcare helps you be more proactive about it, helps you be more involved and, ultimately, feel more in control.' My Health Record also makes Hansra's work as a GP easier. 'Digital records accelerate the diagnostic process,' she says. 'If I can actually access the information that I need about a particular patient at the point that I'm seeing them, ultimately it's going to lead to better health outcomes.' A new patient from interstate came to see Hansra recently, needing antibiotics for an infection. The patient told Hansra she was allergic to an antibiotic but couldn't remember which one. It was a public holiday, so Hansra couldn't reach the patient's regular GP clinic to find out. Instead, she checked My Health Record and saw that the patient had been hospitalised recently. She could see not just the hospital discharge summary, but the antibiotic listed in the allergies section. My Health Record also gives doctors instant access to a patient's immunisation history, including tetanus, on the Australian Immunisation Register, to which reporting on all vaccinations has been mandatory since 2024. If a patient has come in after cutting themselves at the beach, for example, and can't remember when their last tetanus shot was, a doctor would usually err on the side of caution and give them the shot. 'Now we can go to just one place, My Health Record, look at their immunisation history, and see the list along with other important health information,' Hansra says. More than 24.3 million Australians have a My Health Record. Almost every GP and pharmacy in the country is connected. More medical specialists are registering for My Health Record by the day, as are allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, who are seeing the value in multi-disciplinary teams accessing the same information. Legislation introduced early in 2025 means it will soon be mandatory for pathology and imaging reports to be uploaded to My Health Record by default. With consistent access to this central source of information, patients and health professionals alike can make more informed decisions, reducing unnecessary tests and improving the safety and speed of care. When an unconscious or seriously unwell patient arrives in hospital by ambulance, for example, emergency department medical teams can now check a patient's My Health Record to see, at a glance, their health history, any medications they're on and whether they're allergic to anything. 'It helps take the guesswork out of the assessment they're doing on that patient,' Hansra says. It's also proving invaluable for people with complex health conditions and chronic diseases, who may take multiple medications and see a series of medical specialists and allied health practitioners. 'It really helps having that central point where they can keep that information,' Hansra says. She encourages everyone to take advantage of My Health Record, seeing it as a win-win for patients and health professionals alike. 'Everybody should jump on board, use it, get familiar with it. Having all your health information in one spot makes it so much easier for you and for the healthcare team that supports you.' The my health app makes it easier for people to access key information about their health on their phones. It offers a secure and convenient way for people to view information that they, their healthcare providers or representatives have uploaded to My Health Record. It also provides access to electronic prescriptions and the active script list for those juggling multiple scripts, and has other features, such as the 'Find and book a health service' tool. 'It's the digital front door for health services,' Hansra says. 'They can go into the app and see their key health information, and that allows them to have control over their own health journey.' Oskar turns nine this year and his condition has stabilised. Jeannie says: 'He's just thriving. He's such an amazing little kid.' Tim and Jeannie Kirkland and their four children His dad agrees. 'From the age of two, he's just taken it in his stride,' Tim says. 'From time to time he'll talk about his 'dodgy blood' but he does all the things that a boy his age would do: he plays soccer, rides his bike and this year he's started running. It doesn't limit anything he does but we keep an eye on him and are aware this might be something that's with him for the rest of his life.' Tim is grateful that all four of their kids will have access to their own complete and accurate health record when they grow up and leave the nest. 'It's really great for their future,' Tim says. 'They'll have their whole medical history available to them.' Jeannie, a nurse by training, also likes the reassurance of knowing Oskar's records are accessible when they travel as a family, with the my health app installed on their phones. 'On holidays, we like knowing that no matter where we go, if we need to we can access that history,' she says. 'It's very empowering.' Get started with digital health by downloading the my health app today.
