TERRY Worley spent the final weeks of his life in excruciating pain after a cancer diagnosis was delayed, despite the disease showing up on a hospital scan.

Now his family are speaking out about his pain-wracked death, in the hope no-one else has to go through such an ordeal.

The 60-year-old, a well-known blues and rock drummer in South Wales, died at his Pontllanfraith home on April 12 2009, two months after collapsing with severe back pain.

Cancer had been diagnosed in his bladder and spine following a scan on March 30.

But three months after his death his wife Sandra and step-daughters Joanne and Sarah discovered an earlier scan had revealed evidence of these cancers, and of four spinal fractures.

They had requested his medical notes, concerned that the circumstances of his treatment did not add up.

That first scan was done on March 6 amid worries over a possible bowel perforation, which was subsequently ruled out.

“A doctor saw Terry on March 7 and told him they were not going to operate. Terry rang and told us it was not the Big C (cancer),” said Mrs Worley.

“As far as we are concerned, they looked at the scan for a bowel problem, found nothing wrong, and didn’t pick this up.

“His medical notes for March 6 do not say anything about a bladder tumour or bone cancer.”

For the following three-and-a-half weeks, his condition deteriorating, Mr Worley was cared for on four different wards at the Royal Gwent Hospital, with doctors unable to find out what was wrong.

“He was just on antibiotics for a urinary infection, painkillers for back pain, and constant laxatives,”said Mrs Worley.

“He was curled up in bed in awful pain. They even asked if he’d been on a tropical holiday because they couldn’t find out what was wrong.

“Twelve times he was told he had to go back to Caerphilly, and once within our earshot he was called a bedblocker.”

Only after the palliative care team became involved on March 30 was a second scan ordered and cancer diagnosed.

Once formally diagnosed, Mr Worley was identified as needing a syringe driver, to control and administer pain-relieving morphine.

But this was not fitted until April 7, the day before he went home.

Aneurin Bevan Health Board cannot comment on individual cases in detail due to patient confidentiality.

But a spokesman said: “We can confirm a claim for damages was settled and accepted in respect of a delay in diagnosis and subsequent referral to the palliative care team, for which we have made a sincere apology to the family.”

Widow left ‘appalled, disgusted and furious’ MR Worley was originally taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital on February 16 2009, after collapsing with severe back pain.

A blood test revealed high calcium levels, and a bowel or urinary problem was suspected.

After a further blood test at his GP surgery on February 19 recorded even higher calcium levels, he was admitted to Caerphilly District Miners Hospital for more investigations, then transferred to the Royal Gwent for the March 6 scan.

Mrs Worley said the family was left “appalled, disgusted and furious” at Mr Worley’s subsequent care. After three years of legal pursuit, they agreed a three-figure compensation settlement with Aneurin Bevan Health Board. “It was never about the money. We want to make sure no-one else has to go through that,” said Mrs Worley.