Errors in breast cancer screenings

12 April 2012

Fourteen women have been told they have breast cancer after a consultant conducted faulty mammograms, hospital bosses have said.

The women were given the devastating news after colleagues of the consultant, a senior radiologist working for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust at Accrington Victoria Hospital, raised concerns about his work.

In all, 355 mammograms, going back three years, had to be re-checked by an independent review of breast screening assessment clinics carried out by a "quality assurance" team of medics.

Eighty-five women had to undergo a second breast examination, and 14 were told they had invasive breast cancer. Another four women were diagnosed with a secondary breast condition, but medics insist their prognosis will not be affected by the wait. All the women are aged over 50.

Hospital chiefs said the prognosis for treating early stage breast cancer is "good" but it was not known whether the delay would harm their chances of recovery. The review relates only to women who were called back to assessment clinics after potential abnormalities were identified, then discharged by the radiologist concerned without further testing.

Hospital bosses have issued a public apology and said no further cases are likely to be identified. They say if patients have not been contacted by the trust so far, their results are not being called into question.

The radiologist in question is not at present working for the trust and is under investigation. His name has not been made public by the trust but he is understood to have been a long standing member of staff with considerable experience. The consultant has not conducted breast screenings since last December and not worked at the trust since April.

Some of the women affected are from Blackburn and Darwen but the majority live in Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale and the Ribble Valley. Eighty-five women were asked to attend special clinics, where their cases were reviewed by senior consultants. Eighteen cases - 14 invasive cancer and four for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) - were discovered as a result.

Now the 14 are undergoing further treatment. The four with DCIS had abnormal cells present in milk ducts but these had not spread to other breast tissue. Rineke Schram, medical director of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "On behalf of the trust, I would like to apologise for any distress and anxiety this incident has caused."

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust have now commissioned a further independent review to provide further assurance and ensure lessons are learned for all NHS organisations, the trust said. A helpline is now open daily from 7am to 10pm, on 01254 732093, along with an email address: screening.helpline@elht.nhs.uk. Breast Cancer Care also have a free helpline on 0808 800 6000.

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