Kennington News

A WOMAN has told of her shock at discovering she had cancer after 18 months of visits to her GP, who told her she was depressed.

Janet Maxwell said she thought about throwing herself off Tower Bridge after being told she had Hodgkin's disease in 2002 during a routine check-up in Lewisham after being signed off work.

For the previous 18 months she had been visiting Dr Lewis Dickinson at his Sir John Kirk Close surgery in Camberwell but says he told her she was going through the menopause and prescribed antidepressants.

He did not give her a simple blood test or make notes for her file.

The General Medical Council (GMC) suspended Dr Dickinson and is now carrying out a full investigation after receiving several complaints.

The 42-year-old was sent for the check-up in Lewisham after being signed off work after losing weight and becoming depressed.

Doctors said the cancer had spread to her bone marrow and she needed urgent treatment.

Janet, who is now in remission, said: "I knew something was wrong when I was down to a dress size six when I'm normally a 10 or 12.

"I was sweating and not feeling well, but all Dr Dickinson said was that I was going through the menopause. He left me for 18 months without even giving me a simple blood test."

Janet, who lives in Kennington, said she feared for her life and didn't know who was going to look after her 15-year-old daughter Giselle.

She said: "When I got the news I nearly had a breakdown and wanted to jump off Tower Bridge.

"The disease could have spread further during the 18 months and got into my organs."

Sir John Kirk Close surgery was contacted by the South London Press, but a spokesman was unable to comment.

A spokeswoman for the GMC said: "Dr Lewis Dickinson is currently suspended by the interim orders panel. This order has been in place since January 2002.

"An interim orders panel has statutory powers to make fixed-term orders suspending or placing conditions on a doctor's registration.

"Interim orders do not amount to a finding of fact against the doctor but are imposed to protect the public pending a full investigation and are subject to review after six months.

"The interim orders panel meets in private but any orders it makes are disclosable.

"The GMC does not discuss the details of investigations, either ongoing or closed, in line with our duty of confidentiality to complainants and doctors."