Cancer patients to sue hospital

Eighteen women were wrongly told they did not have breast cancer

Seven women are taking legal action against a hospital where they were wrongly given the all-clear for breast cancer following screening errors.

It emerged 18 women were misdiagnosed after a study of hundreds of mammograms carried out at Accrington Victoria Community Hospital in East Lancashire.

The NHS trust said screen mistakes by one radiologist failed to detect the disease. He has not worked since April.

Seven patients have now instructed solicitors to fight for compensation.

Pannone Solicitors said it was representing the women to pursue legal action on the grounds of medical negligence.

Cancer screenings

Christine Holt from the firm, said the compensation claims could take a "matter of months or years" to settle.

She added: "It very much depends whether liability is admitted by the hospital and when we can come to an agreement as to the impact on each individual woman affected."

In September, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said it was "not possible" to say if the women's prognosis was affected.

The affected women were among 355 cases reviewed in an independent study after all of the radiologist's breast cancer screenings over the past three years at the Lancashire hospital were examined.

An investigation was then launched after errors came to light during the review and 85 women were re-tested.

Fourteen were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, they are still receiving treatment.

Another four patients were told they had ductal carcinoma in situ - a non-invasive breast cancer.