Markland said she had since been diagnosed in England by the NHS and is being treated by specialists.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>.<\/p>\n In February 2020, Markland lived in Stoke where she was studying to be a nurse.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Markland moved to her home in Jersey in April due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then had an appointment in the island.<\/p>\n “Immediately from my first consultation, it [the seizures] was sort of dismissed,” she said.<\/p>\n “I was told that seizures happen. It was likely down to stress with my nursing degree and anxiety.”<\/p>\n 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”.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n 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”.<\/p>\n ‘Life-changing’<\/p>\n Markland moved to Dorset in 2022 where she said her health started to decline and she collapsed at work.<\/p>\n “I had this impending sense of doom, which I started to get quite regularly, slurred speech, loss of vision, numbness and collapse,” she said.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n “Yeah, it was life-changing.”<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n “My main concern was I should have never been taken off basically life-saving treatment.<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n Markland is now receiving treatment [BBC]<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n “We really should expect better.”<\/p>\n Markland said she wanted to see better staffing, communication and more liaising with consultants in the UK.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n Jersey’s medical director Simon West said he wanted to reassure islanders an independent review had been published into Jersey’s neurology department.<\/p>\n He said: “Following the recommendations outlined in the review, an action plan has been drawn up.<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n He added Health and Care Jersey has a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) that offers confidential advice and support.<\/p>\n Follow BBC Jersey on X<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n More on this storyRelated internet links![\"Gemma](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/b4d1d7c0face0e6330ff47ae178bf326.jpeg\"\/)
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