A retired charge nurse is considering suing a hospital because she still has no feeling in her right foot more than a year after a hip replacement operation.

Grandmother-of-seven Dorcas Browne, 67, from Morden, had her right hip replaced at Epsom General Hospital in January last year and was told she should make a full recovery within six months.

"After I came out of the operating theatre I went back to my room and I realised I didn't have any feeling in my right foot.

"I was told there was nothing to worry about, it was just one of those things, the feeling would come back."

Mrs Browne believes the consultant who conducted the operation damaged a nerve in her foot. Despite daily physiotherapy after the operation and numerous visits to the hospital since, there has still be no improvement.

"My foot feels like a ton of bricks, all the painkillers have not helped. I can't separate my toes," she said.

Mrs Browne had planned to visit her family in Barbados at Christmas but was unable to go because she can barely leave her home.

"I'm considering legal action because I can't go on like this, it's not fair to me to be treated like this, it's unbearable," she added.

A spokesman for Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust said Mrs Browne had not raised her issues with the hospital, but said patients were encouraged to make the trust aware of any concerns they have so they can be thoroughly investigated.

April 30, 2003 11:00