Stourbridge hit-and-run victim 'waiting two years for surgery'

Dominic Allan says the vulnerability of his skull prevents him "from leading a fully normal life"

A man who wears a protective helmet after being seriously hurt in a hit-and-run crash says he has been waiting for surgery for nearly two years.

Dominic Allan was hit as he got out of a taxi near his home in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in May 2019.

The trust overseeing his care says it is "doing everything possible" to minimise "pressures" behind delays.

Mr Allan, 38, has told the BBC that since the trust's comments, he has been given another surgery date.

An operation at Queen Elizabeth (QE) Hospital Birmingham to put a titanium plate in his head has previously been cancelled four times.

Mr Allan, a staff nurse at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, says delaying surgery is affecting his mental health because he is "so uncomfortable" wearing his protective headgear, and feels "like I am looked at differently" by patients.

Dominic Allan returned home in June 2019 following the crash

Mr Allan suffered multiple injuries, including a bleed between his skull and brain, and fractures to his forehead, an eye socket and a knee.

He had two lifesaving operations, spending five weeks in hospital and two weeks in rehabilitation.

Following the procedures, and, Mr Allan says, during "all of my waking hours", he has been wearing a helmet to protect an area of his brain covered by skin and no bone.

But further treatment needed to address the delicate area has been repeatedly delayed.

The father of two said: "It's been really hard. The QE promised to do surgery two years ago and haven't done it - it's quite upsetting for the family as well.

"I completely [understand] about beds, but it does make my anxiety quite bad... [over] the fact of constant delays."

In November 2019 he resumed his career as a full-time coronary care staff nurse, working throughout the coronavirus pandemic while wearing "full PPE" along with his helmet.

He said: "I feel like I should have been supported a little more to help with my recovery and deemed priority by the QE as I am a working NHS professional on the front line caring for very vulnerable people while at the same time waiting for urgent cranioplasty surgery."

Mr Allan said he had "had to wear full PPE" with his protective helmet

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In a statement, University Hospitals Birmingham Trust, which runs the QE, said surgery for some patients may have been rescheduled on more than one occasion "due to rising emergency admissions" and Covid-19-related "pressures on staffing and ICU capacity".

It added: "We understand that this may be distressing for some patients, however we are doing everything possible to minimise the impact of these pressures."

Mr Allan said since the trust's comments, he had been given a revised surgery date of Wednesday next week.

He said despite "concerted police efforts, the [hit-and-run] perpetrator has never been found".

A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said the case had "been filed pending any further lines of inquiry coming forward".