6 May 2014:
John McDonnell MP and Professor Harminder Dua (then President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists) met with Health Minister Daniel Poulter.
Submitted to the Minister’s office in advance, John had included my name on the list of people accompanying him. It had taken months to arrange a date to suit us all, but at the eleventh hour John was informed by Poulter’s office that, due to “
protocol”, I could not attend.
At the meeting John urged Dr Poulter to meet with me, following which we both wrote asking him to do so.
NB: Promises made to John and Harminder have not been actioned!
5 June:
Dr Poulter replied to my email sent on 16 May: “
Firstly, may I say that I am familiar with your good work in raising awareness of, and highlighting the issues and risks associated with, refractive eye surgery. Your website ‘My Beautiful Eyes’ provides a platform for people to air their concerns, obtain advice and gain support.”
No it doesn’t, and I react badly to being patronised!
“
I appreciate that you are disappointed at not attending the meeting. However, this meeting was held at the request of John McDonnell MP, whom you may wish to approach about our discussions.”
My request to meet with him went unanswered - and my verbal response is unprintable!
30 June:
Dr Poulter wrote to John: “
Due to heavy pressures in my diary, it is not feasible for me to meet with Sasha Rodoy at this time. However, she may wish to meet with my officials to discuss her personal experience and her good work in raising awareness of, and highlighting the issues and risks associated with, refractive eye surgery.”
3 July:
I emailed both named officials and copied in John and his PA, Seb Corbyn.
5 July:
No response. I resent same email.
Approx a week later:
Still no reply, and with the Summer Recess approaching I called the offices of both officials and left messages for each - one of whom I was told was away for a few weeks.
29 August:
Tired of waiting I told John that I was writing to the Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt. I did so but received no reply.
15 September:
John McDonnell tabled parliamentary Questions, asking Jeremy Hunt if he had received correspondence from Sasha Rodoy, and if so, did he intend to respond to me.
He received no reply.
24 September:
I received this message: "
Dear Ms Rodoy,
Thank you for your further correspondence of 29 August to Jeremy Hunt about laser eye surgery. I have been asked to reply.
I note your ongoing concerns about this matter. However, due to diary commitments, the Secretary of State is unable to meet with you.
You may wish to discuss your concerns with Department of Health officials, who are happy to meet with you, as suggested by Dr Dan Poulter following his meeting with John McDonnell MP.
For further discussion, you may wish to contact Dawn O’Neill at (edited)
I hope this reply is helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Tromans
Ministerial Correspondence and Public Enquiries
Department of Health”
30 September:
I told John McDonnell I considered this to be “
bullsh*t”, but played the game and wrote to Dawn O'Neill: "I
n response to my letter sent to the Secretary of State on 29 August, Richard Tromans writes that Jeremy Hunt is too busy to meet with me.
In his letter dated 30 June 2014, Daniel Poulter advised John McDonnell that he too was unable to meet with me, suggesting I should contact Noel Griffin and Tim Baxter.
Accordingly, I emailed both parties at least twice, left messages with their offices, yet to date have received no acknowledgment from either. Please see details below. (I attached copies of my emails sent to Noel and Tim on 3rd, 5th & 7 July.)
Meanwhile, whilst the government continue to be “too busy” to discuss the very serious issues concerning the refractive eye surgery industry and the lack of government intervention, Stephanie Holloway is one of estimated tens of thousands damaged by Optical Express et al, many far worse:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2771023/Optical-Express-pay-500-000-damages-laser-surgery-wrecked-young-woman-s-life-spied-prove-lying.html
I am being interviewed for BBC Radio 5 Live Investigates, @ 11.00am on Sunday 5 October, when I will highlight the government’s lack of interest in this serious matter and their refusal to meet with me.
I am writing to you simply to show that I have taken all steps advised, even though they lead nowhere.”
30 September:
I received auto reply from Dawn: "
I am at an all day meeting on Tuesday 30 September My emails are not being monitored. I will respond when I return on Wednesday."
30 September:
At 2.00pm I pre recorded an interview with Adrian Goldberg for BBC 5 Live Investigates (to be broadcast 5 October). I said that Stephanie is far from a unique case, there are thousands more like her, many with far worse problems.
I slated the government and pointed out that the high street eye surgery industry is costing the government millions of pounds as the NHS are left to pick up the pieces.
Adrian replied that this was at cost to the tax payers, and I agreed.
30 September:
The BBC asked the government for their response to my comments and were told the Press Office would get back to them.
2 October:
I received an email from Dawn O'Neill: "Following correspondence with Ministers, I understand that Dr Dan Poulter suggested that you meet with officials. Following your email to Tim and Noel on 3 July, I responded (on 4th July), offering you a meeting and suggesting some dates. We have not received a response to this email, nor to subsequent emails from Noel (on 7th July) and me (17th July) (copies attached)…
If you want to give me dates/time to avoid, I am happy to put forward some dates for you to consider. Please let me know how you wish to proceed.”
Copies of the emails she alleged were sent to me on 4th, 7th & 17 July were attached. I had never seen them before.
3 October:
Midday, BBC 5 Live still had no press statement from Dept of Health responding to my comments, and I made a bet that they were waiting for me to email my reply to Dawn.
At 3.17pm I received a phone call from Dawn at exactly the same moment I was sending her this email:
"Thank you for your reply.
I can categorically confirm that I did not receive any of the emails you attached to your email yesterday. It is strange that three emails from two senders did not reach me.
I would therefore appreciate it if you and Noel Griffin would send the originals via your “Forward” facility so all details are displayed, and I can then ask my IP provider to investigate.
Meanwhile, I need to also check John McDonnell’s availability before responding with dates.”
Dawn was very keen to arrange a meeting asap - yet hadn’t bothered to call after my lack of response to the three alleged emails of 4th, 7th & 17 July!
I repeated what I’d just emailed to her - and more!
Said how disgusted I am with the government - who are turning a blind eye [sic] to information they have been given... criticised their claims of being too busy to meet with me, yet Jeremy Hunt had found time to meet with friends of mine last year - twice - to discuss a case of NHS negligence.
*
I added that perhaps it had helped that one of the family is a world famous musician.
I also said that I did not accept that the emails were ever sent to me in July.
FYI: Dawn did not ‘Forward’ original emails to me as I’d asked, and I have since checked with my ISP and there is no record of these ever having reached my server!
I believe these emails were faked.
Look carefully at the dates and content of messages, especially the one from Richard Tromans, and make up your own mind!
No surprise that my interview with Adrian Goldberg was edited out of the broadcast today, with a response from the Dept of Health claiming they're looking to "
make the industry more transparent"!
Pot, kettle, black methinks!
Stephanie is angry because she only agreed to the 5 Live interview to support My Beautiful Eyes Campaign, but every one of the many references she made to MBE were edited out!
She is also angry at OE's statement that they: "
believe Stephanie's symptoms could be fully resolved with further treatment"! (Coincidentally, the very same statement was made by the owner of the company responsible for damaging my eyes, when he not only lied, but also breached Data Protection Act by discussing my details with two patients via email )
*
A member of the family died following an eye operation at Moorfields in 2013. Jeremy Hunt promised that he would make sure there were changes so it would never happen again. I was given all the letters and documents with permission to use them as I saw fit to help my campaign.
Watch this space