Hunt launches inquiry into 450,000 missed breast cancer screenings

Health secretary says computer errors may have shortened lives of up to 270 womenLive: Up to 270 women may have died because of major breast screening programme failureWomen’s lives may have been cut short by a major IT error which meant 450,000 patients missed crucial breast cancer screenings, the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has said.Experts fear that up to 270 women may have died because of the 2009 computer error, Hunt said. Families now face the distressing possibility that loved ones who have recently died from breast cancer may have missed early diagnosis opportunities. Women receiving breast cancer treatment, including those with a terminal diagnosis, may also receive letters informing them of missed screenings in the coming months. The government has ordered an independent inquiry into the scandal, which was only unearthed in January by Public Health England after almost a decade of errors, Hunt said. Related: The computer glitch that led to the breast screening disaster Continue reading…
Via: Hunt launches inquiry into 450,000 missed breast cancer screenings