• 7/8/2007
  • Lancashire, England
  • staff
  • Lancashire Evening Post (www.lep.co.uk)

A devastated wife has revealed how the doctor at the centre of a medical investigation failed to pick up her husband’s throat cancer – instead sending him home with mouthwash.

Mary Carter, 42, of Holme Slack, Preston, believes her husband Duncan would still be alive today if his cancer had been diagnosed earlier.

She condemned health chiefs at Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust for not taking action even though she complained to them about Dr Ghassan Baroudi almost two years ago.

The Lancashire Evening Post recently highlighted how Dr Baroudi, a GP at the Ribble Village Surgery in Moor Nook, Preston, had been suspended after a complaint was made about his care of patient Florence Powell who died two years ago.

Mary Carter claims her family has also suffered because of Dr Baroudi’s failure to spot a serious medical condition.

She revealed how, despite repeated visits to Dr Baroudi complaining of throat discomfort, her husband was not referred to a hospital specialist, but was told he was suffering from thrush.

It was only when an alert NHS dentist was uneasy about Duncan’s symptoms and urgently referred him to hospital that his throat cancer was diagnosed.

However, by this stage, the cancer was at an advanced stage and, despite radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the cancer spread to Duncan’s lungs and he died in November 2006 aged 57.

Mary, who has three children, said: “Duncan first went to see Dr Baroudi about his throat about three-and-a-half years ago.

“He examined his mouth and told him it was thrush and prescribed him a liquid medication.

“Over the next few months, Duncan’s throat gradually got worse and he went back to see Dr Baroudi several times.

“Then Duncan’s mouth began to smell really bad. The only way I can describe it is that it smelt like drains.

“Dr Baroudi did not refer him to a hospital specialist, but carried on saying it was thrush and prescribed him antibiotics and mouthwash.

“At one point, Duncan was in so much pain, he was rolling around the floor in agony.

“He then told us the problem was probably caused by his teeth. But Duncan didn’t have any teeth as he had false teeth.”

After Duncan’s cancer diagnosis, Mary went to Preston Primary Care Trust in August 2005 and demanded a change of GP. She also made them aware of Dr Baroudi’s failings.

In an independent report into Duncan Carter’s case in October 2006, Prof Michele Saunders, a London oncologist wrote: “Presentation of the tumour occurred when Duncan Carter became aware of a very bad smell coming from his mouth.

“This must indicate that the tumour had reached a considerable size.
“The area involved is certainly visible when the mouth is opened and the tongue depressed…in my view, any doctor should have observed the ulcerated area in the tonsil region and become concerned about it.”