Breast scan review launched

Breast scan results are being checked

Breast scans from more than 100,000 women are to be reviewed after a patient was given wrong information.

An administrative error by the West London Breast Screening Service led to a women being given the all-clear when she then went on to develop a suspicious growth.

The error was confirmed by a spokesperson for Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the service.

The hospital admitted that the woman should have been sent a letter telling her to return for another urgent check within three weeks.

Instead, she was told nothing was wrong, and that there was no need for any follow-up for another three years.

The mistake was discovered when the woman moved to another area and her records were re-examined by staff at her new breast screening unit.

After further tests she was given the all-clear.

The service is run from Charing Cross Hospital

The Trust spokesperson said: "What we have uncovered is an admin error, not a misdiagnosis.

"There was nothing wrong with the breast scan itself, but unfortunately the woman's notes had been put on the wrong pile and she was sent the wrong information.

"She should have been invited back for another scan.

"We have no reason to believe that this has happened to other patients. But we want to reassure other women and that is why we are carrying out this review.

"If we come across any other cases where a woman has been sent out the wrong letter then we will contact her through her GP and call her back for another scan.

"If women think they may have developed any new symptoms since their last scan then they should go back to their GP."

The service is based at Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith.

The £200,000 review will re-examine the case files of 103,000 women who have been screened since 1993.

Doctors stress that it is important that women take up invitations for breast screening.

Many tumours are too small to be detected through a physical examination.

A helpline has been set up. The number is 0845 46 47.