A GRANDFATHER says his wife "would not be in the state she is now" had a hospital not cancelled her regular check-up.

John Marriott, 75, of Venture Close, Bexley says he feels let down after his wife, Margaret, had a stroke a month after South London Healthcare Trust cancelled her appointment.

Mrs Marriott has needed check-ups every six months since she had an aneurysm seven years ago.

It left her barely able to walk and in need of a Zimmer frame.

Now, three months on, 70-year-old Mrs Marriott is in Sidcup’s Queen Mary’s Hospital and has been told she may never return home.

Mr Marriott, who goes to the hospital every day to visit his wife, said: "Since the stoke, she has mumbled speech and doctors now think she may have dementia.

"She’s very poorly- she gets spasms in her speech.

"One minute you think she’s picking up and other times she forgets what she says.

"They’ve told me she’ll have to go into a nursing home.

"I feel that if Queen Mary’s had seen her promptly, she would not be in the state she is now."

According to Mr Marriott, his wife’s last appointment was in April last year and she was supposed to have another in October.

But the hospital wrote to Mrs Marriott on October 18 cancelling the appointment and rescheduling it for December 6.

She then had a stroke on November 13.

Mr Marriott said: "You might expect the appointment to be pushed back a day or two but not two months.

"They said it was due to unforeseen circumstances.

"If she had had the appointment, they could have told if her stoke was coming on by her blood pressure.

"I feel let down."

Mrs Marriott was taken to Princess Royal University Hospital in Farnborough for five days following the stoke before being transferred to Greenwich’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

She was then sent home in time for Christmas on December 10.

But, while at home, she suffered a number of falls and was taken back to Queen Elizabeth on January 30 with a broken arm.

She then got transferred to Queen Mary’s, where she still remains.

Mr Marriott, who has been married to his wife for 47 years, says their daughter and granddaughter visit the hospital regularly.

The retired fork truck engineer added: "It’s really got me down.

"I’ve been doing everything for her since she had the aneurysm.

"I had to follow her everywhere because she could only walk with a Zimmer frame.

"She could only walk a short distance, and she got weaker and weaker.

"I feel let down by Queen Mary's and I want to bring it to the public’s attention."

A spokesman for South London Healthcare Trust says it will look into Mr Marriott's complaint.

He said: "The Trust has spoken to Mr Marriott to confirm receipt of his complaint and to assure him that his concerns will be thoroughly investigated and he will receive a response from the Trust."