HEALTH chiefs have made another dramatic u-turn in the case of a former Wordsley councillor who was left "mortified" after being told his treatment with a revolutionary new drug was to be discontinued before he'd finished the course.

Geoff Southall, who was formerly chairman of Dudley South Conservatives, had to speak out in the press before health service bosses would approve his treatment with Radium 223 - despite having been deemed fit by his consultant to receive it.

After his situation made headlines, the 79-year-old grandfather was finally given the green light to start monthly injections of the nuclear drug - and things had been progressing well, with Geoff reporting "far less side effects" than with previous chemotherapy treatment.

But at his last appointment on February 22 - two thirds of the way through the prescribed course - retired football referee Mr Southall was given the shock news he could no longer be treated with the expensive drug at New Cross Hospital, even though his consultant had stated it was in his "best interest to continue".

However - after again hitting the headlines - health bosses have agreed Mr Southall, of Sandringham Road, Wordsley, can continue his treatment at New Cross.

The decision to discontinue treatment, however, appears to stem from confusion over the commissioning of Radium 223 in the first place.

Simon Collings, NHS England’s assistant director for Specialised Commissioning in the Midlands and East, said: “It is normally the case that patients approved for Radium 223 would undertake all their therapy at University Hospitals Birmingham, as this is the organisation from which we commission this complex radiopharmaceutical treatment for the whole of the West Midlands.

“We believe there has been a misunderstanding at the Trust and we are currently looking into the circumstances around this.

“We are working with Wolverhampton Hospital to ensure any patients approved for Radium 223 therapy complete their treatment.”

Gwen Nuttall, chief operating officer at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, confirmed this morning that Mr Southall - one of four patients receiving Radium 223 at New Cross - was today (Tuesday March 8) due to resume his treatment and she added: "The Trust’s delivery of this treatment for Mr Southall was approved by NHS England before it commenced.

"It is clinically safer to continue the patient's care at the Royal Wolverhampton Trust as continuity of care is important."

But she added: "All future patients requiring this treatment will be referred to University Hospitals Birmingham."