PRESSURE is mounting on Letterkenny University Hospital for a full independent review to be carried out following new cases of delayed cancer diagnosis coming to light.
Deputy Pearse Doherty intends to raise the issue in the Dáil today and demand that Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly takes action. The campaign for an independent review is gathering momentum with families, politicians and advocacy groups demanding answers.
The three additional cases, involving women diagnosed with cancer of the endometrium, are in addition to the 38 women already identified as being impacted by failings in the hospital’s Gynaecology Department who waited over 100 days for diagnosis or treatment. Each woman received a report from Saolta into their care, however several have now come forward to say the reports are inaccurate and lack accountability.
One of those women is Margaret Doherty from Stranorlar whose cancer went undiscovered for three years. Although tests were carried out in 2013 that found cancerous cells it was not until 2016 that she was told a mistake had been made and that she had had cancer of the womb for the previous three years.
Speaking to the Donegal News yesterday Ms Doherty said she was “disgusted” when she received the report into her care. She claims it wrongly said she was told in person in August 2016 that her cancer had spread after having a CT scan on the same day.
“It wasn’t the same day and I was told over the phone. I was disgusted when I was sent that report,” she said.
“There is no accountability from anyone in the hospital and that is the problem. There is no doubt that an independent review is needed.”
Margaret Doherty
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Her report focuses on the care delivered to her between 2013 and 2016 however she disputes this and says her care began from November 2012. Ms Doherty is actively pursuing High Court proceedings through her solicitors PA Dorrian and Company. The firm sent the hospital a letter in September detailing how she was horrified and shocked by the report. They have yet to receive a response.
Solicitor, Mr Pat McMyler said: “Our view is that a substantial number of women were given reports riddled with inaccuracies causing further hurt, distress and a sense of loss and frustration.
“Both the terms of reference and the conclusions were arrived at without any contribution from the victims. The report hides the disastrous outcome of the delay in treatment for our client and the ongoing issues arising for her.”
In relation to the High Court case Mr McMyler said: “We are pursuing it robustly and we are expecting a response shortly from the solicitors for the HSE.” They are also seeking an external review.
Sinéad Ní Bhaoill has sought an external review of her mother’s case, Bridget Boyle from Dungloe who waited over a year for her diagnosis after presenting to the hospital with post menopausal bleeding in April 2017. It was not until June 2018 that her cancer was diagnosed and by that stage it had spread. The process of this external review began this week.
Speaking on Tuesday from Toronto Ms Ní Bhaoill said it is unacceptable that she has to seek a second review and wants answers clearly explaining why the delays in her mother’s treatment occurred.
“The report clearly states the delays but there is no accountability as to the reason for those delays, whether it was admin, lack of urgency on the part of the doctors, mismanagement of the department etc.,” she said.
“Triage of that department is in absolute chaos. Due to mismanagement, people with routine referrals were being seen before those marked urgent. There is also no timeframe mentioned in the report about when can we hope to see the improvements. The public need transparency now because left unchecked we have lost our faith in their ability to bring the department up to standard.”
Ms Ní Bhaoill wants to know who will be carrying out the external review and when.
Sinéad Ní Bhaoill
Dr Margaret MacMahon, the Bristol based consultant who has been acting as an advocate for women affected said patients are upset and angry. She said she understands their situation because she was also sent a report in 2016 about her late sister which she says had factual errors and very serious omissions.
“Patients are entitled to the truth and they should persevere in order to get the full facts,” said Dr MacMahon.
“I believe that there should be a national inquiry into this disaster otherwise they are never going to learn from it.”
Stephen McMahon, co-founder of the Irish Patients Association, said they have been contacted by 15 families in recent weeks who are either families of patients that have died or others that have received reviews of their care and are not happy.
He said: “It is important for families and women to have an independent inquiry into what happened and for a broader inquiry to look at the way all cancers are treated at the hospital. The only way things are going to change is if people speak out. I’m aware that this can be very upsetting for women and families but I would encourage them to reach out and their privacy will be protected.”
Quite a number of women have also been in touch over the last week about experiences at the LUH maternity department, he said.
Deputy Doherty wants the Health Minister to intervene in light of further cases of delayed diagnosis emerging.
“Without a doubt there is a need for an independent review,” said Deputy Doherty.
“This is a serious issue. We know people have lost their lives as a result of this. A full independent review is what the women of Donegal deserve. The fact that there has been another three cases is really, really shocking and there are serious issues there. We need to have confidence that the service is up to scratch and it is not.”
In response to a query from the Donegal News about the three new cases a spokesperson for Saolta said: “The Saolta Group has sought an independent external review of the care provided to three further patients who attended the gynaecology service at LUH. One case has now had an external reviewer appointed and the Group is going through the formal process necessary to appoint an external reviewer for the remaining two cases. The Group and hospital will be communicating directly with the patients and families involved with respect to the progress of these reviews.
“We will be ensuring that a robust process is in place involving continuous audit and review of performance data which will provide assurance that all women are being managed safely within the appropriate timeframes.
“Planning is currently underway for a new ambulatory gynaecology service to start early next year and planning is underway for additional gynaecology operative sessions; clinical validation of waiting lists is on-going and waiting lists are reducing, a Multi-disciplinary Team meeting has commenced and new patient information leaflets are available.
“The hospital has restructured its processes for triaging patients and assigning appointments, additional staff have been approved and the recruitment process has commenced, additional gynaecology clinics are taking place weekly, and work has begun on commissioning an additional dedicated maternity theatre.”
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Posted: 10:52 am November 12, 2020