Last night’s BBC Spotlight programme shed further light on the ongoing controversy regarding Dr Michael Watt, Consultant Neurologist, and the Belfast Trust Patient Recall exercise. The show focused on the stories of two patients, one of whom had been misdiagnosed with the life-threatening condition Motor Neurone Disease, and another who had suffered numerous invasive Epidural Blood Patches, one of which led to the development of Meningitis.
New evidence obtained by Spotlight showed that Dr Watt was performing epidural blood patches at a rate that far exceeded any other NHS Trust in Northern Ireland or the UK. It was only due to the actions of a General Practitioner based in Comber that his overuse of this treatment was discovered. Crucially for the Belfast Trust, the programme reported that there appears to have been an absence of review into his clinical practice which permitted him to perform excessive epidural blood patches over more than 2 years.
O’Reilly Stewart are acting already for a significant amount of patients in a similar position, with cases relating to misdiagnosis of Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s. We can obtain independent expert evidence from a neurology expert to comment on the standard of care provided by Dr Watt, and answer your queries about the care you received. The approach of the Trust to date suggests that they will not provide the answers that Patients need.
If you or a family member have been treated by Dr Watt and have a concern in relation to the standard of care provided, please do not hesitate to contact our Healthcare Team.