HSE accused of trying to bury misdiagnosis reports

The HSE is being accused of trying to bury a report on lung cancer errors at two hospitals in the northeast by publishing it on the eve of the US presidential elections.

Rebecca O'Malley, the Tipperary woman who was incorrectly given the all-clear for breast cancer three years ago, is strongly condemning the timing of the report, saying it shows "just how low the HSE can stoop".

The HSE review involved thousands of X-rays and other scans taken at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and Our Lady's Hospital in Navan between August 2006 and August 2008.

The report revealed that some patients had their lung cancer diagnosis delayed by up to 14 months. Of the nine patients affected, eight have since died.

Rebecca O' Malley also said it was totally inappropriate for the review team to be chaired by the network manager for the hospitals in which the misdiagnoses occurred.