‘I have asked questions and met senior people... everybody was evasive’

Patients and family members have added their names to a growing list of people who allege a cover-up in the breast cancer scandal.

Despite multiple requests, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, his predecessor Jeane Freeman and Nicola Sturgeon have never sat down to listen to their concerns.

Mum-of-four Lee Dennis, from Perth, set up a support group for women affected by the scandal and has played a central role in fighting for answers.

She told The Courier she “absolutely” believes there has been a cover-up.

Ms Dennis said: “I have exhaustively worked through all of the players in this whole thing. We have done it for years.

“I have been asking questions, calling meetings, meeting senior people. I met them all – and everybody was evasive.

“Every single person I asked tried to shut me down, said, ‘I don’t want to appear in a news article with you’.

“You know, just really didn’t actually come up with any meat behind it.

“It was sort of like, ‘We’re really sorry you feel like that. It’s not really a problem, though, dear, is it? Off you go’.”

Ms Dennis has called for a parliamentary inquiry to finally find answers for patients and families affected by the scandal.

Ruth Johnson, one of the women treated with the lower dose, died in November last year.

She was a former board member of Business Beats

Cancer Dundee and bravely laid bare the realities of her terminal diagnosis in The Courier to raise awareness.

Her husband Les called for a root and branch review of breast oncology services at NHS Tayside after the board acknowledged “unacceptable” care in the final months of her life.

He said: “It’s somebody’s life you’re talking about here. And that 1-2% figure, personally, I think was just being made up just to tick a box, that could make the difference between somebody getting through this and somebody not being here.

“It’s the whole fact that, from day one, you’ve just not been given options.

“I don’t think Ruth was told the truth with regards to a number of things. And it was only when you challenge these people that they will then come back, and they’re very defensive.

“So, in my personal opinion, yes, I do think there was a cover-up.”

A complaint by Mr Johnson is currently being considered by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

Les Johnson and Lee Dennis are calling for answers, insisting there has been a breast cancer cover-up.