Calls for neurology improvements after misdiagnosis

A woman has called for improvements to Jersey's neurology department after she said her brain tumour was misdiagnosed as "harmless".

Gemma Markland, 28, contacted the BBC after she saw an article about another Jersey patient who said proper processes were not followed in the diagnosis of her brain cancer.

Markland said she had since been diagnosed in England by the NHS and is being treated by specialists.

Health and Care Jersey said it could not comment on individual cases but it has drawn up an action plan for neurology, following recommendations from an independent review.

In February 2020, Markland lived in Stoke where she was studying to be a nurse.

She experienced a major seizure and was sent to a neurologist at Royal Stoke Hospital where she was told she had epilepsy, put on medication and referred for testing.

Markland moved to her home in Jersey in April due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then had an appointment in the island.

"Immediately from my first consultation, it [the seizures] was sort of dismissed," she said.

"I was told that seizures happen. It was likely down to stress with my nursing degree and anxiety."

After two MRI tests, Gemma was told she had an "unusual lesion" on her brain, but she said she was told it was of "no clinical relevance".

"They said I didn't need to be on anti-epileptic medication, they didn't think I had epilepsy, and I never heard back," she said.

In June 2022, Markland said she was discharged from Jersey's neurology department, told she needed no further treatment and the lesion on her brain was likely "harmless".

Markland moved to Dorset in 2022 where she said her health started to decline and she collapsed at work.

"I had this impending sense of doom, which I started to get quite regularly, slurred speech, loss of vision, numbness and collapse," she said.

In 2025 a neurology consultant at Dorset County Hospital told Markland her "unusual lesion" had been misdiagnosed and it was a low-grade brain tumour.

"I did have epilepsy... I was put on medication straight away, told not to drive anymore, referred to a Southampton neurosurgeon team and then Poole Hospital neurosurgeon team as well," she said.

"Yeah, it was life-changing."

She said: "Mentally, I was very, very distressed, of course, especially because I spent four years still driving when I had epilepsy, and that could have been very dangerous.

"My main concern was I should have never been taken off basically life-saving treatment.

"Thank goodness for the NHS for helping me, for the right diagnosis and giving the treatment that I needed and thankfully I am much better now."

"Thankfully, with my case [the tumour], it's slow growing, so I'm safe for the time being until I can go on to have brain surgery, but for some people, that time is lethal," she said.

"We really should expect better."

Markland said she wanted to see better staffing, communication and more liaising with consultants in the UK.

"I mean the NHS are under strain but they still managed to sort me out quickly because they knew it was a serious situation," she added.

Jersey's medical director Simon West said he wanted to reassure islanders an independent review had been published into Jersey's neurology department.

He said: "Following the recommendations outlined in the review, an action plan has been drawn up.

"Work continues to enhance the service, and I'd like to thank the team who work in this complex specialty for their continued dedication and commitment to patients."

He added Health and Care Jersey has a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) that offers confidential advice and support.

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