UK NEWS

HERO WHO SURVIVED BEING BADLY BURNED IN THE WAR IS KILLED BY NHS SUPERBUG

Born fighter Tom Pretty

Wednesday April 9,2008

By Jo Willey

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WARTIME gunner Tom Pretty was so badly burned when his bomber crashed in 1942 that he had to undergo 50 operations.

He was given the last rites three times and had his face rebuilt using pioneering plastic surgery.

But Tom pulled through and lived until he was 86 – when he went into hospital, caught a superbug and died.

Hero Tom survived his wartime ordeal thanks to the care of surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe, working from a primitive shack.

His treatment even earned Tom a place in the renowned Guinea Pig Club. But 66 years later, he was admitted to the flagship Norfolk and Norwich Hospital with a broken arm after a fall at his home near Diss. There, he contracted the C. diff bug as well as a urinary infection and pressure sore.

We’ve lost all confidence in the NHS

Son John Pretty

Tom, a widower, was kept in hospital for five weeks before being sent home to be cared for by his family. But he was unable to shake off the C. diff, despite antibiotics, and died on April 1.

His death certificate put the primary cause as heart failure and the secondary cause as C. diff and a fractured humerus.

But his son John and his daughter Julie Morris blame the “filthy” hospital ward. They claim that the floors were covered in dirt and nurses dealt with him without protective gloves and clothing to stop the spread of infection.

John, 60, from Diss, who still runs the garage business set up by his father when he left the forces in 1952, said: “It’s an outrage. We’ve lost all confidence in the NHS.

“It is so sad that this man who fought against all the odds to survive should be taken like this. Sir Archibald made medical history working from a tiny shack, while the modern NHS can’t even keep its own wards clean.”

Julie, 58, also from Diss, added: “It is just awful that his life should be claimed by this dreadful superbug.

“He must have had 50 operations because of his war injuries and he got through all those without any problem at all.

“Yet, when he went to hospital with a comparatively simple broken arm, it led to him contracting this bug which eventually killed him.”

A hospital spokesman said: “Mr Pretty would not have been discharged unless he was well enough. We would be happy to hear from his family if they have any concerns about his treatment so we can investigate.”

RIP

10.04.08, 11:10am

This man made a huge sacrifice helping to preserve the freedom we have in this country and Europe. How sad that he should end his days like this.
If we didn't spend so much of our taxes coping with every chancer that washes up on our shores, we may be able to afford a first world healthcare system instead of the third world one that we have now. Putting cleaning services out to contract means that you get the cheapest service and the staff are on minimum wage so they won't really put the effort in.

• Posted by: jonocynic9 • Report Comment