Consultant suspended over breast cancer screening

A consultant radiologist dealing with breast cancer screening has been suspended amid concerns over his clinical judgment, it was announced today.

More than 40 women at one hospital in the North are being recalled for immediate reassessment this week and two other hospitals are making arrangements to contact women potentially affected .

Northern Ireland Health Minister Shaun Woodward stressed the recalls were precautionary and did not indicate they had breast cancer.

He said: “I recognise the huge concern and anxiety that will be raised by this matter. I want to reassure all women who have used the breast screening service that we believe this to be an isolated set of incidents related to one consultant.”

The minister has ordered an investigation into the radiologist’s work and asked Dr Robin Wilson, director of Breast Screening Quality Assurance in the East Midlands, to lead it.

Mr Woodward said he was ensuring that 44 women seen by the consultant at the Antrim Area Hospital would be immediately reassessed for breast cancer as a precautionary measure.

The suspension and recall follows concerns raised by staff at the hospital over clinical judgments made by the radiologist.

The Department of Health said it believed the risk to the patients was low. Nevertheless, all 44 were being contacted and called for immediate reassessment on Wednesday and Thursday.

The consultant also worked at the Belfast City Hospital and Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. Checks are now being made at those hospitals and they are making arrangements to contact all women who may potentially be affected as soon as possible.

Helpline numbers for concerned patients are being set up at all three hospitals later in the day.