Independent investigation launched into cancer misdiagnosis

The head of the health service today ordered an independent investigation into how a botched breast cancer test mistakenly gave mother-of-three Rebecca O'Malley the all-clear.

The 41-year-old from Co Tipperary, had a breast removed in a London clinic in June 2006 more than a year after being told by medics that biopsy lab tests were negative.

It is thought if the cancer had been diagnosed earlier, the mastectomy could have been avoided.

Professor Brendan Drumm, Health Service Executive chief executive, ordered the probe and apologised to Mrs O'Malley.

He asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to look into how the error was made, how the HSE responded and how a repeat of the devastating mistake can be prevented.

"While the HSE, like health care systems across the world, seeks to take every possible course of action to minimise the risks for patients, unfortunately errors do occur," Prof Drumm said.

"I want to again apologise to Mrs O'Malley for the error in relation to her diagnosis.

"After reviewing the sequence of events relating to Mrs O'Malley's care, an independent investigation is a sensible course of action. This investigation will enable the HSE to learn from how it responded to Mrs O'Malley with a view to improving future services to patients.

"The best way to establish an impartial perspective on the events is for the Authority to carry out an independent investigation."

Mrs O'Malley said she was confident it would uncover how the terrible mistake was made.

"I do feel reassured that HIQA is determined to carry out a comprehensive and far reaching investigation, thoroughly and quickly," she said.

Mrs O'Malley has spoken to Dr Tracey Cooper, HIQA chief executive, and is to meet her tomorrow to set out the parameters and timeline for the investigation. The results will be published when it is completed.

Meanwhile, 300 women are anxiously waiting to hear if results of their breast cancer were correct or if the mistake was repeated.

Mrs O'Malley said: "I'm certainly going to make sure that the investigation will cover the possibility of anybody else being affected, that's absolutely crucial.

"It's crucial that they get to the bottom of the mistake they made in my case but also that they get to the bottom of who else may be affected."

Mrs O'Malley was a patient at Limerick Regional Hospital in March 2005 where she underwent a biopsy.

Tests on the sample were carried out in a specialist laboratory in Cork University Hospital (CUH) where pathologists gave her the all-clear. But a year later she went back to her GP complaining of pains in her breast and a second biopsy in June confirmed she had cancer.

Facing a four-week wait for surgery Mrs O'Malley flew to London for a mastectomy and over the next five months had intensive chemotherapy. She underwent further surgery on lymph nodes in December 2006 after cancer traces were detected.

And last month as she continued her recovery, the HSE asked her not to go public as CUH is to launch a full inquiry.

She also claimed her consultant told her the CUH lab was overwhelmed with work and staff could not cope with a doubling in the number of tests.

The independent HIQA was set up last year as part of reform of the health service to help improve quality and safety in health and social care services. It checks hospitals and nursing homes setting national standards for care.