Breast-screening scandal report published

An independent report into the breast cancer assessments of nearly 7,000 women by a suspended radiologist in the North will be published today.

The British government launched a probe two months ago to run parallel to an inquiry already underway into test results at two Co Antrim hospitals over a two-year period.

At the time it was announced 44 women had been recalled for further assessment but the results were not available.

Dr Robin Wilson’s findings will be based on a review of 1,900 cases at Belfast’s City Hospital and 5,000 at Antrim Area Hospital.

The Nottingham-based director of Breast Screening Quality Assurance, East Midlands, hailed the unprecedented pace of the investigation when it was launched in November.

Dr Wilson said previous reviews he had been involved with, in Exeter and Epping, had taken up to seven months while the reassessments in the North took weeks.

It is understood the radiologist at the centre of the probe was suspended after people working with him flagged up their concerns.

Health Minister Shaun Woodward asked the Health and Personal Social Services Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority to carry out the independent probe.

It was tasked to:

:: Investigate the circumstances that contributed to the need to reassess 44 patients at Antrim Area Hospital following referral from the breast-screening programme;

:: Determine whether clinical guidelines for breast-screening assessment are in place and being applied in the North;

:: Determine whether the quality assurance guidelines for breast-screening radiology are being applied in the North;

:: To investigate any other governance issues related to the matter.