Tony Williamson, a 62-year-old podiatrist, suffered unbearable pain from a suspected inflamed prostate but was met with long waiting lists and a lack of understanding from healthcare professionals. His family say his physical health decline led to a mental health crisis, culminating in his tragic death by suicide. They are calling for change within the NHS to prevent similar tragedies.
For Tony Williamson, a round of golf was one of life's great pleasures. A fit, healthy and active 62 year-old, he loved nothing more than letting off steam over 18 holes with his pals. But one Friday afternoon, Tony, came home early from a game. He told his wife Jackie he felt 'off-colour.' These were the first signs of a condition that would leave the cherished dad-of-two and grandad in 'unbearable' daily pain.
It was also the start of a traumatic and devastating series of events which would see Tony lose his life. Just a year later he would vanish from the family home in Timperley sparking a huge and well-publicised search operation. For three months his family were left in a 'living nightmare' – on tenterhooks every single day waiting for news. In March last year, his body was discovered in a stretch of the River Mersey in Warrington. A coroner has ruled he took his own life 'whilst experiencing hopelessness whilst under investigation and treatment for pelvic pain.' The inquest, which concluded last month, heard there was a 'disconnect' between those investigating Tony's physical health problem and those dealing with the related decline in his mental health. The coroner has now written to the Health Secretary to raise concerns. Ultimately his family feel that after giving so much to the NHS, it 'failed one of its own.' And they want to see his story become a catalyst for change. Tony, a big Manchester City fan from Wythenshawe, met wife Jackie, now 62 and from Stretford, when they were teenagers and they were together for more than 40 years. They settled in Timperley and had two sons - Simon, now 34, and Sam, now 33. After graduating from Salford University, he began working for the NHS aged 21. For 37 years he worked as a podiatrist, at Wythenshawe Hospital, and in the local community. He had taken early retirement to spend more time with his wife but was still working part-time at his own practice which he had had for over 30 years. 'He had a good sense of humour', Jackie said. 'He was a bit of a character and used to wind people up. He was a counsellor half the time, especially when you'd had a bad day at work. But he would always turn things around.' 'He was a very caring person' she continued. 'He loved his patients and was very helpful. He'll have helped so many people over the years. He always went above and beyond. They were more like friends than patients, even the NHS ones.' Tony became a grandad to Simon's son and Sam's daughter, now both aged three, and after his semi-retirement was playing golf three times a week. He was even teaching Jackie how to play. But it was after his aborted game in November 2022 that things started to go 'downhill.' 'He had never been ill in his life' Jackie said. 'Obviously he'd had the old cold, but that was it. 'But he said he didn't feel well, then he started with the pains'. 'He was having problems with his prostate and the pains were all underneath' she continued. 'He couldn't wee, he couldn't empty his bowels.' He went to the doctors and was referred to urology but was told he could have to wait untill March the following year for an appointment. 'He couldn't wait that long' Jackie said. 'The pain was continuous.' He paid for an appointment at a private hospital where a doctor told him it was likely 'chronic prostatitis - the medical term for an inflamed prostate. Jackie said they paid 'numerous visits' to the GP before he saw a specialist on the NHS in May 2023. 'It felt like no one was really listening to us, and that's been the problem all along' she said. Tony 'wasn't soft by any means' and had 'quite a high pain threshold' his family say. But the pain he was experiencing was so bad at times he 'couldn't do anything else.' He would resort to just lying on the sofa in agony, they said. 'When he lay down the pain was easier but when he stood up it was horrendous' Jackie said. 'He would cry. He could hardly walk. As soon as went out walking, that was it. You felt horrendous and helpless. 'He was being told to take paracetamnol and iburprofen' Simon said. 'That does nothing for me when I have toothache, never mind the pain my dad was in.' 'I think they thought the pain was in his head', Sam added. As Tony's pain continued, his mental health began to decline. He began experiencing suicidal thoughts. He had two short stints as an inpatient admitted at local mental health wards, in September and November 2023, after threatening to harm himself. But his physical problems meant mental health wards were, according to his family, 'just the wrong environment' for him, and on both occasions he wanted to be at home. His family say his actions were a 'cry for help.' 'He just wanted help, he was pleading for help', Simon said, adding that he wanted to be admitted to hospital as an inpatient for his physical problems instead
News NHS Chronic Pain Prostate Inflammation Mental Health Suicide Family Tragedy Healthcare Disparities
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