NHS patient seeks private surgery abroad

Barry Malloy, once a chef, endures chronic pelvic pain and says the NHS provides little relief, pushing him toward private treatment overseas.

NHS fails to help pudendal neuralgia patient seeking private surgery abroad

Barry Malloy, a former chef from South Shields, woke on Halloween 2023 with severe pelvic pain that left him unable to walk. Doctors initially considered prostatitis before diagnosing pudendal neuralgia, a nerve condition that makes sitting and toileting painful, and he was referred to the neurology team.

Despite a team approach from the NHS that includes neurology, colorectal, urology and orthopaedics, Malloy says relief has not arrived. He has spent his savings chasing options abroad, aiming to see Dr Renaud Bollens in Belgium who specializes in this condition, with costs up to 30,000 pounds and a painful journey to Brussels.

NHS officials acknowledge his case remains challenging and say efforts are ongoing to diagnose and manage his symptoms. Malloy has started crowdfunding to fund overseas treatment while his partner has taken a second job to cover living costs, and he remains determined to seek relief.

The case exposes gaps in chronic pain care within the NHS, where rare conditions can linger and patients face years of uncertainty before a diagnosis is reached. It also highlights how patients can become financially and emotionally strained when official channels offer limited relief. Crowdfunding to finance overseas treatment underscores a shift in how some patients pursue care when public options fall short.

At a policy level, the situation raises questions about funding allocations, access to multidisciplinary care, and the pace at which complex pain conditions are treated within a public system. The story points to the need for clearer pathways, better coordination across specialties, and a focus on long-term quality of life for those with chronic pain.

Highlights

The debate around private routes versus public care will persist as patients seek timely relief.