520 calls to breast scan helpline

Women tested between April 2003 and April 2005 are affected

More than 500 women have called an NHS helpline over possible mistakes in more than 2,000 breast cancer scans.

The helpline opened on Saturday as part of a review of 2,462 scans conducted in Greater Manchester between April 2003 and April 2005.

The scans at Trafford General and North Manchester General hospitals involved women referred by GPs.

A Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust spokesman said 316 of the 520 women who had called were relevant to the review.

'Urgency'

"We will keep the helpline open as long as it is needed," the spokesman said.

Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust said it was reviewing scans as "a matter of urgency". An employee has been suspended.

The review involves women referred by a GP and not those scanned under the NHS Breast Cancer Screening Programme.

Dr Richard Campbell, the trust's medical director, said only a small number of patients were likely to be affected after a possible "human error" was revealed in April.

The member of staff worked at both hospitals

He added: "However, this is going to cause a lot of worry for very many patients, and we are very sorry this has happened.

"We emphasise that, for the vast majority, there will be no problem."

The review, which began after mistakes were noticed in the mammograms of three women, is expected to take a further two weeks to complete.

All of the cases being reviewed were carried out by the same member of staff, who is based in Trafford, but also worked in North Manchester.

The scare affects 1,267 patients at Trafford General Hospital and 1,195 patients at North Manchester General Hospital.