Jane Woodhead looks at how Margaret Dixon's broken shoulder is proving a mighty headache for the PM

IT IS one family's distress which has turned into a major political fight.

The plight of Margaret Dixon and the story of her delayed operation is now emblazened all over the local and national media and television.

So just how has this 69-year-old grandmother become such a cause celebre in only a few days?

The most likely answer: Because she is in the centre of a political battleground which holds no bounds as both Labour and the Conservatives each fight for electoral advantage.

Would any of the politicians have been particularly concerned if there was not an impending general election?

Probably not. And while in one corner of the boxing ring, the Tories are slamming Mrs Dixon's situation as indicative of the problems within the health system at large, in the opposite corner, Labour is accusing the Tories of jumping on one unfortunate case to denigrate the entire NHS.

The Battle of Margaret's Shoulder, as it has been called in Westminster, is not the first case of a patient's suffering being seized upon by politicians - many of whom are more concerned about gaining political points than helping the victims.

In 1992, the War of Jennifer's Ear was started by Labour when it claimed that five-year-old Jennifer Bennett had to wait 11 months for surgery to treat glue ear.

And in May 2001, postmistress Sharon Storer vented her fury against Tony Blair over the treatment of her partner, a victim of non Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Mrs Dixon, who lives in Penketh, Warrington, needs surgery to relieve constant pain from the shoulder which she broke in a fall last August.

But planned operations at Warrington Hospital have been repeatedly postponed - an issue which is also at the centre of a political fight, with North Cheshire NHS Trust claiming there have only been three cancelled operations, NOT seven as is being broadcast by Tory politicians.

Lorna Bourke, psychologist at Liverpool Hope University, explains that a situation like this could well give the Tories extra sway when it comes to the general election.

"Case studies are really important; that is what sticks in people's minds. It is always the human interest story which people want to read.

"I think this is the reason why the Health Secretary Dr John Reid has panicked and come up to Warrington because he knew how this story could escalate.

"Health is an issue which people really worry about.

"This will probably have an effect on the way people will vote. The fact that Mrs Dixon contacted a Tory politician may, however, cause people to question her motivation. In doing this, she has ignited a major political storm."

Amid all the political fighting, Warrington South MP for Labour, Helen Southworth insists Mrs Dixon is not being made a political football by her party: "We are keeping a clear focus on the needs of patients within the NHS to ensure that people can have treatment free and at the earliest possible date.

"The issue which is really important for me is to make sure that Mrs Dixon and people like her receive the treatment which they need in the NHS as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, Helen Jones, Labour MP for Warrington North, says she has been treated in Warrington Hospital: "I found it to be excellent and I actually had constituents calling me yesterday who said they received excellent treatment there. One of these people had met John Reid and said they were appalled at the way the hospital is being treated in this matter."

This latest political storm began on Wednesday when Tory leader Michael Howard highlighted Mrs Dixon's case in the House of Commons.

He said that planned operations at Warrington General Hospital had been cancelled seven times.

Part two continued yesterday when Mr Howard added further fuel to the row by inviting Mrs Dixon's family to his London home and holding a press conference with them.

Later, Mrs Dixon's husband Ken, 69, and daughter Lindsay, 38, handed a letter in to 10 Downing Street urging the Prime Minister personally to ensure that she is treated soon.

The pantomime continued with Dr Reid then entering the frame with a hastily arranged visit to Warrington Hospital.

He claimed Mr Howard has not portrayed the case properly adding that patients at the hospital had themselves accused the Tory leader of talking rubbish.

Dr Reid had been expected to visit the home of Mrs Dixon but, in the end, he didn't, saying he did not want to get caught up in a Tory stunt.

He said he had been told that Tory aides were operating from her house and issuing instructions on her behalf.

Warrington Hospital says Mrs Dixon has been offered a new date of March 21 to come in for surgery.

But after her previous disappointments, Mrs Dixon says: "I'm not opening the Champagne just yet." Appearing alongside the family at a press conference arranged by the Tories in London yesterday, Mr Howard said: "The Dixons are a hard-working family that have paid their taxes, worked hard all their lives, and depend on our National Health Service.

"Mrs Dixon had been let down by a system which has devoted too much money to bureaucracy and has allowed central government targets to over-ride local clinicians' priorities."

Meanwhile, as the political fighting looks set to continue for some time - with Mr Blair saying this is an isolated case and Mr Howard quoting a figure of 67,000 cancelled operations during the last year - Mrs Dixon's wishes seem relatively simple...

"All I want is to get my operation done and get my life back together again."