45 now recalled in in UHK suspect suspect scan crisis review review

AS the fallout from the suspect scan review continues at University Hospital Kerry, the HSE has confirmed that a total of 45 patients have now been recalled to undergo new x-rays and scans.

Two of these patients have required further clinical treatment as a result of serious conditions discovered in the new scans.

The 45 confirmed recalls represents a significant increase on the 34 recalls that had been announced shortly before Christmas.

The South South West Hospital Group confirmed that 26,625 – out of 46,302 suspect scans – concerning roughly 60 per cent of affected patients have been reviewed so far.

The review involves all scans – relating to 26,751 patients – that were examined by a single locum radiologist who was employed at UHK from March 2016 to July 2017.

In July and August this year management at the hospital were notified of three missed cancer diagnoses that had not been picked up by the locum when they examined the patients’ files.

The radiologist was immediately placed on administrative leave and a preliminary audit of their work was carried out.

Based on this audit it was decided to carry out a recheck of every single scan the radiologist had examined while employed at the hospital.

To date, the recheck has uncovered seven missed cancer diagnoses, at least one of which is understood to be inoperable.

The locum radiologist at the centre of the crisis formally resigned from the position on October 18, and the individual is no longer employed by the HSE.

Over the weekend the HSE released an update on the situation at the hospital.

“The number of patients recalled arising from the review to-date is 45. As a precautionary measure, two of the patients require further clinical treatment,” a HSE statement said.

“No further clinical follow-up has been required for the other patients in relation to their radiology investigations,” said the HSE.

The HSE has been keen to stress that the majority of cases reviewed have found no issues, with only a minority of patients being recalled.

In an unusual intervention over the weekend Health Minister Simon Harris – who has made few public comments about the crisis at UHK – claimed that those being recalled for scans shouldn’t necessarily view it as a “bad thing.”

According to the Irish Independent Minister Harris said that “we need to be careful we don’t decide people being recalled is a bad thing.”

Minister Harris also told the media that he was keeping “an open mind” in relation to asking the Health Information and Quality Authority to carry out an independent review into how the scans issue was handled by the HSE and management at UHK.

The Minister said that once the full review has been completed he will meet with management of the South South West Hospital Group to examine what lessons must be learned.

Only then, the minister said, will he decide what further action is needed.