Patient, 34, died from a brain tumour the size of a tennis ball after three doctors mistook symptoms for depression

A man who was wrongly diagnosed with depression died after it was discovered that he had a brain tumour the size of a tennis ball.

Chris Buckley, 34, lost his speech as a result of the tumour which was only diagnosed when he went to A&E after he lost use of his hand.

Three doctors were investigated after Chris's father, Malcolm, went to the General Medical Council to report what had happened, but they will not face action after independent experts gave conflicting verdicts over the standard of Mr Buckley's care.

However, it was concluded that two doctors' had fallen 'seriously below that expected of a reasonably competent GP' while the third failed to consider other causes of a speech problem that had set in.

Mr Buckley went to Robert Frew Surgery in Wickford, Essex, in December 2011 because he was struggling to talk and could not remember some words.

He visited the surgery with girlfriend Kelly McCain who had to speak for him because his speech had got so bad and was prescribed with antidepressant citalopram and sleeping tablets by Dr Oluwatoyin Ogunsanya who also referred him for counselling.

His condition worsened over the New Year and he saw Dr Atef Wissa who prescribed more antidpressants.

But by the end of January Mr Buckley was barely able to speak and he was referred to a mental health unit at Basildon Hospital by Dr Adegbnoyega Tayo.

Dr Tayo noted he was 'not able to talk, hardly getting words, unkempt and crying' adding that he was 'almost mute'.

But when he got to the mental health unit, staff were unable to understand him and he left.

When father and late mother, Sylvia Buckley, 59, noticed that he could not use his right hand they were told by NHS Direct to take him to A&E where the tumour was discovered.

He was transferred to Queen's Hospital, Romford, where drugs improved his speech but two months later his situation deteriorated rapidly and he died on May 2 last year.

The GMC told Drs Ogunsanya and Wissa to reflect on the findings of independent expert Dr Leonard Peter while it was concluded that there was no further action needed for Dr Tayo.

Malcolm Buckley believes his son may have received better treatment sooner if he had been properly assessed and diagnosed.

He said: 'It would also have ended the confusion he had about what was happening to him. He was upset he could not speak and trusted the GPs' advice even though he was not getting better.

'I told him to stop the citalopram in the first week, but Dr Wissa told him to go back on it without sending him for any neurological examination.'

Speaking at the conclusion of the investigation he added: 'If a doctor can’t examine a patient they shouldn’t be in practice or allowed to examine other patients.'

Dr Oginsanya said: 'It is a big jump to say there was negligence. It was a very unusual presentation. When each one of us saw him there were no neurological problems, no headaches, no vomiting.

'He (Chris) did not say he could not remember words. There was no loss of limbs and that is why I used the (depression) assessment tool.

'We are not saying there were no lessons to be learned from this case. We need to be more alert to other causes. Unfortunately he saw three different doctors at different times.

'If a patient comes back and has not improved we need to vigorously assess why they are not getting better.'

The hospital accepted there had been a prescribing error, but said the drug was sometimes prescribed to tumour sufferers.

A hospital spokesman said: 'Mr Buckley believes the administration of a drug to his son had a negative effect, but this medication had no ill effects.

'Sadly the reason for the deterioration in Chris’ health was because his tumour had grown. This has been explained in full to Mr Buckley and the trust has been very open about his son’s care.'

A practice spokesman spoke for Dr Wissa and Dr Tayo: 'Even though Mr Buckley has spoken publicly, we are unable to discuss confidential details of patient care.

'The GMC conducted a thorough investigation and made no recommendations for action. We offer our sincere condolences to the family.'

Mr Buckley has raised the case with the county’s health authority NHS Essex, which has pledged its own standards investigation and to refer the case back to the GMC, and Wickford MP Mark Francois.

A GMC spokeswoman said it does not comment on investigations.

A spokesman for NHS Essex said: 'The Essex area team medical director has met Mr Buckley and agreed the investigation process. As we have a duty of confidentiality during on-going investigations we are unable to comment further.'

This article is courtesy of the Daily Mail.