A PENSIONER who believes his late wife was let down by the medical profession is calling for an overhaul of the way complaints are investigated.

For the past two years Norman Tilley feels he has been going round in circles trying to raise concerns with the medical authorities.

His efforts have resulted in reams of letters and documents from a multitude of branches of the medical profession.

But he has been left frustrated and angry and feels that he has not been given the right to a truly independent investigation.

"What I want is an independent review so that we can thrash out what went wrong," said Mr Tilley, 76, a retired mechanical engineer and war veteran.

"I can understand why the health service is in such a state because no one can make a complaint.

"Mistakes happen, you can't help it, but when they do go wrong they should be able to say 'sorry'."

His wife Betty contracted a cancer-like disease known as Polyarteritus nodosa in 1999 and suffered an ulcer on her left leg.

She was treated in hospital and looked after at home by her husband who was given supplies and dressings to change her bandages.

But in the following months he claims:

He was told that nurses were too busy to visit his wife after he raised concerns about the worsening condition of the ulcer.

He was told off for requesting an ambulance to take his wife to hospital when he felt he could no longer cope - within 18 hours of being sent away a doctor visited his wife and ordered her to go to hospital where she had an operation.

A community nurse was not applying the correct bandages and dressings to a second ulcer on his wife's right leg - which was confirmed by a surgeon, but when he complained he was given a severe ticking off by a doctor. Three days later his wife died.

Mr Tilley, of Morrison Avenue, Parkstone, initially took his concerns to the Talbot Medical Centre and was subsequently directed to the Dorset Health Authority, the Bournemouth Primary Care Trust and the Health Service Ombudsman.

He has also corresponded with the Commission for Health Improvement and Poole Hospital Trust about his wife's treatment and his own experience at Poole hospital last February when there was an issue with heating and cough medicine.

"The official complaints procedure needs to be revised and needs to be properly independent," said Mr Tilley.

"That is what is missing. Every time you get somewhere they send your complaint somewhere else. That's the system and until it stops they will never be able to pin anyone down.

"Until patients and the public are listened to fairly and honestly the NHS will continue to fail."

Pauline Malins, spokeswoman for Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority, said: "We do recognise that making a complaint about NHS services can be complicated and daunting, particularly if it covers more than one organisation. But there are moves to make it easier.

"The government is setting an Independent Complaints Advisory Service (ICAS).

"The service will provide advice and support to anyone who wants to make a complaint. It will be set up next year."

A pilot scheme is currently being run by East Dorset Community Health Council, which can be contacted on 01202 292961.