Breast Screening Error

Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt has publicly apologised in the Commons on behalf of the NHS and the government in relation to the failure by the NHS to call women between the ages of 50 and 70 forward for a mammogram.

A computer error, which occurred in 2009 has been blamed for the failure.

Women aged between 50 and 70 are supposed to be invited for a mammogram every three years. But about 450,000 women in England aged 68-71 failed to get invitations since 2009 because of the error.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has questioned why a fall in the number of women being screened did not raise any alarms. In a recent report on the NHS, the IPPR said the number of women who accepted invitations had fallen to 71%, a 10 year low. The IPPR said health chiefs should have examined the data earlier to find out what was happening. An independent review set up by ministers will try to establish who was responsible and whether problems should have been flagged up sooner.

All women affected will now be contacted by letter by the end of May and those under 72 will receive an appointment for a catch-up mammogram. Women aged over 72 can contact a helpline to talk through the pros and cons of having breast screening. Scans in older women sometimes pick up cancers which do not require treatment.

Breast cancer symptoms and signs

Even if you are not in the age group above, you should see your GP if you notice:

• A new lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast that was not there before
• A change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
• Bloodstained discharge from either of your nipples
• A lump or swelling in either of your armpits
• Dimpling on the skin of your breasts
• A rash on or around your nipple
• A change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast.

Amanda Cavanagh, a medical negligence specialist at Ashtons Legal, says: “What is clear is that this terrible error is likely to have had an unnecessary catastrophic effect on many women and their families. Yet again we are faced with a monumental systemic problem within the NHS, the only difference is this time it cannot be blamed on funding cuts”.