Surgeon tells daughter of dying man to ask God

May last year.
Mrs Cottrell claimed that during a phone conversation with Mr Edwards, the consultant was ‘rude and arrogant’ and showed no compassion towards the family, who had been given the ‘devastating’ news that Mr Couling had a few months to live only hours earlier.
Mrs Cottrell said: “In May 2011 I travelled to Bronglais after being told over the phone by Mr Edwards that dad had cancer and was unlikely to still be with us at Christmas.
“Mr Edwards was not available personally, but I was taken into a room to speak to him over the phone.
“I was asking various questions about dad’s treatment and his cancer and Mr Edwards became very rude and loud. He suggested if I wanted to know why my dad had cancer I should get an appointment with God, rather than ask him.
“In shock, I told him that I couldn’t believe that he was talking to me in that manner — to which he offered to repeat what he had said.”
She added: “Mr Edwards was rude, arrogant, and very cruel verbally, considering the devastating news he had personally told me just a few hours earlier.”
Mr Couling, a retired railwayman who had nine children, died at his home in Penbontrhydybeddau, Aberystwyth, a month later.
Mrs Cottrell, of Malvern, Worcestershire, initially complained to the body which runs hospital services in Mid and West Wales, the Hywel Dda Local Health Board, about Mr Edwards’ behaviour. She also alleged incompetence in the way her father was treated.
The hospital started an investigation and the hospital’s acute service general manager, Linda Hughes, wrote to Mrs Cottrell to apologise.
In her letter she added: “The consultant acknowledges that the nature of the conversation was unsatisfactory and recognised that, with hindsight, his choice of words/use of language would have been different.”
Mrs Cottrell, a beautician, was not satisfied with the board’s apology and has now asked the NHS ombudsman to look into her father’s case.
An independent expert has also been called in by the health board to investigate the care given to Mr Couling on Meurig Ward.
A spokesman for the health board said: “While it is inappropriate to discuss an ongoing investigation through the media, we can confirm a part-response has been provided to the family and we await the imminent outcome of an expert independent report on the medical care provided to Mr Couling.
“The health board continues to be in regular contact with Mrs Cottrell and we wish to convey our sincere apologies for the delay in this investigation.” — Daily Mail.