More than 350 Island women may have been affected by the national breast cancer screening scandal.
The government this week announced an independent review after it emerged that, since 2009, 450,000 women in England had not received invitations for their final routine breast cancer screening.
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt blamed an error in the computer system that generated appointments, which has now been resolved.
It is not currently known if anyone has died as a result of the error, but Mr Hunt said it was estimated that between 135 and 270 women nationally may have had their life shortened because they were not diagnosed when they should have been.
Trust CEO: Nothing can be rule out
Chief executive of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, Maggie Oldham, said the trust could not rule out any women on the Island may have had their lives shortened, or died, as a result of the scandal.
She said:
“Nothing is impossible and it’s difficult to tell, but the numbers are likely very low. We are dealing with around 200 women out of the 9,000 that need to be re-screened.
“We have a very good breast cancer screening unit here, and we have a very good screening programme on the Island. It’s a national issue, and not just the Isle of Wight.
“We will help anyone who comes forward.”
352 Island women may be affected
In a statement to the Isle of Wight NHS Trust board today (Thursday), interim medical director Steve Parker said:
“There is a national need to either recall, or offer self referral to some women between the ages of 70 and 79 who would not have been offered a mammogram at the appropriate time.
“Breast screening units will be informed of the identities of the women affected within the next two weeks. Invitations for screening will be sent out to the affected women between May and October, 2018.
“Here on the Island, like elsewhere in England, we rely on the national system to issue the invitations for screening.
“It is estimated that there are 352 women on the Island who may be affected.
“Of these, 138 are in the age range who, in the coming weeks, will be sent a letter inviting them in for a mammogram. The other 214 women are individuals who will be invited to self refer to the service and the advice to them is that they should telephone the national helpline.
“Despite this being a national issue, the IW breast screening unit is committed to resolving the issue locally as quickly as possible in order to reduce the anxiety for the women involved.”
Around 9,000 women a year are screened at St Mary’s Hospital.
Call helpline if concerned
Ms Oldham and Mr Parker reiterated that anyone affected, or concerned they might be, should call the national helpline — and not St Mary’s or their local GP — because the records are held nationally.
The helpline number is 0800 169 2692.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is taking part in. Some additions by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: armymedicine under CC BY 2.0
