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A former trainee doctor who suffers with severe epilepsy has praised the NHS amid the junior doctors walkout – despite having to wait 18 MONTHS for an appointment.

Nicola Goodchild, 41, suffers up to 14 seizures a week after a tragic car accident left her with life changing injuries and a severe form of epilepsy.

She was working abroad as part of the final year of her medical training when she was pummelled by the vehicle, leaving her with multiple trauma injuries, including multiple fractures, a damaged spine, fractured skull and brain haemorrhage.

The injuries caused by the horrific crash put a premature end to her career and it was many months before she could even walk again.

She spent months recovering at Charing Cross Hospital where doctors "saved her life".

But following years of gruelling treatment and rehabilitation, Nic, who now works with adults with learning disabilities, is able to live a normal life with the help of special medication.

She says her epilepsy is currently being treated with a drug that is different to her usual medication which was prescribed to her by a specialist neurologist.

The problem is, she hasn’t seen this specialist since November 2015 – and yesterday received a "devastating" letter saying her appointment has now been postponed until April 2017.

It was originally planned to take place on Monday 22 August 2016, but has been put back to Monday 24 April 2017 - a further eight months.

(Image: Nick Goodchild)

Fuming at the revised date, Nic said: "When I found my appointment would not be for ten months I was horrified.

"The nurse agreed it was too long and suggested I ask my GP to follow me up.

"My GP is happy to keep an eye on me but is not a specialist in epilepsy.

"When I opened the letter to find my appointment had been put back another eight months I was devastated.

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"How can I ever get better, hold down my job, remain independent if I wait eighteen months just to see if a drug was effective? I know how many seizures I am still having!"

But instead of taking her anger out on the NHS, Nic has poured scorn on Jeremy Hunt , blaming him for allowing the service to plunge into crisis on his watch and holding him directly responsible for her astronomically long waiting time.

She took to Facebook to blast the Health Secretary, who wants to implement a seven-day NHS, for not listening to junior doctors over the contract row.

(Image: Nick Goodchild)

In her Facebook post she asks the Tory cabinet minister how long she might have to wait if the same number of doctors are spread out across seven days instead of five, with no extra funding.

She said: "What I would say to Jeremy Hunt is to sit down and listen.

"The door is open to you at any point to sit down and negotiate.

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"You have refused to even run a small pilot scheme to test this system and ensure it is safe.

"To test a system first is fundamental. I trust these doctors with my life.

"Why would I place it in the hands of one man, with no experience in the field, who is so sure of himself that he isn't willing to even listen to over 50,000 professionals with years of specialist experience?"

(Image: PA)

In a further attack on Hunt, she calls for his resignation while demanding he "give the NHS back to the doctors who know how to manage it".

Describing the NHS as a health system like no other, Nick added: "I've seen the health system in other countries and it is nothing like the NHS.

"In the country where I had the accident there was no care at all.

"I wasn’t washed or fed, and got dangerous infections from a very basic, inadequate operation.

"When I was flown out to the USA by my insurance I would see receipts stacking up on pins on the wall - another bill for every dose of painkiller, for every change of a catheter bag.

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"We are blessed with the NHS and it needs protecting from the likes of Mr Hunt."

A spokesperson for Royal Free London NHS Foundation said: "Patients seen in the epilepsy clinic are routinely given appointments once either every six or twelve months depending on their medical need.

"Unfortunately, because Ms Goodchild’s doctor was unavailable for her next appointment in August, it was rescheduled.

"Our out-patients department has contacted Ms Goodchild today to offer her a more suitable appointment."