1800 didn’t receive breast cancer scan
FEAR OVER PROGRAMME DELAYS Health Secretary apologises for distress as staff rush to carry out missed checks ASAP
HEALTH Secretary Jeane Freeman has apologised to almost 1800 women who missed out on screening appointments for breast cancer.
Freeman said it would be a “worrying time” for the women affected after a review of the Scottish Breast Screening programme discovered they had not received final appointments.
Cancer charities called the blunder “incredibly concerning”.
Yesterday, the Scottish Government said the NHS were writing to 1761 women aged over 71 to invite them for final screening appointments.
A review of the Scottish Breast Screening programme, carried out by the Scottish Clinical Taskforce, found the mistakes after former health secretary Shona Robison asked for due diligence checks.
The order came after 450,000 women in England failed to received invitations for final screenings.
Head of services for Macmillan Cancer Support in Scotland, Janice Preston, said:“It’s incredibly concerning that so many women in Scotland have not been able to have their final breast screening appointment.”
Sara Hiom, Cancer Research UK’s director of early diagnosis, called it “clearly worrying”. But she added: “It is also important to put things into perspective and not cause undue anxiety.
“We know that, even with our excellent breast screening programme, the great majority of breast cancers are still diagnosed by women finding a lump or noticing other symptoms and going to their GP.”
Women in Scotland are invited for routine breast screening between the ages of 50 and 70.
NHS screening centres have made arrangements to screen the women as quickly as possible and additional staff are in place to answer phone inquiries and provide reassurance and support.
Scottish Lib Dem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton called it “a horrifying lapse of process”. Scottish Conservative public health spokeswoman Annie Wells said it was “truly concerning to think that almost 2000 women have missed this important screening and that they are still potentially undiagnosed”.
Health Secretary Freeman said: “I apologise fully for any distress caused.
“The women are being contacted as a priority and resources have been put in place to ensure they are screened promptly and offered any wider support needed.”
Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: “Screening prevents deaths from breast cancer – the earlier the disease is detected, the more likely treatment is to be successful.”
Angela Harris, head of Breast Cancer Care Scotland, said: “Today the number one priority is getting women the support they need and our expert nurses are here for anyone with concerns on 0808 800 6000.”
Scottish Labour public health spokesman David Stewart called the incident a “serious and deeply distressing failure”.