Bid to find women affected in Scotland

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has told MPs that officials are working to identify women living in Scotland that may be affected by a major breast cancer screening error.

A “computer algorithm failure” dating back to 2009 has meant hundreds of thousands of women aged 68 to 71 were not invited to their final routine screening. It is not yet known whether any delay in diagnosis resulted in avoidable death, but it is estimated that between 135 and 270 women had their lives shortened as a result.

The issue primarily affects those living in England, but in answer to a question from the SNP, Mr Hunt said his department was working with the Scottish Government to identify any women who may have moved north of the border.

SNP frontbencher Dr Philippa Whitford said: “As the Secretary of State says, this issue did not apply in Scotland, but some of the women affected may now have moved and settled in Scotland, I would like to know when did he inform the Scottish Government?

“He talks about the Department of Health knowing in January, as far as I can tell officers in Scotland were informed of a minor issue in March and only told last week that actually this was more major.”

Mr Hunt responded: “I will let her know the exact date the Scottish Government or Scottish Government officials were informed.”