NHS failure to call for breast cancer screening may have caused hundred of women to die, revealed Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. He told the Parliament that 450,000 women aged 68 to 71 weren't invited for their last mammogram between 2009 and the start of this year. It is believed the lives of about 130 to 270 women have been compromised due to the “administrative incompetency”. Hunt said the colossal error was only caught by officials earlier this year, almost a decade after it happened.
“A serious failure has come to light regarding the national breast cancer screening programme in England. The latest estimates suggest that as a result between 2009 and the start of 2018, 450,000 women aged 68 to 71 were not invited for their final breast screening. At this stage it's unclear if any delay has resulted in avoidable harm or death. Our best estimate is that 130 to 270 women's lives may have been shortened as a result. We recognise it is incredibly distressing for the families,” Hunt said. He said 150,000 of the total women affected have died. The 309,000 who are still alive, will be invited for a catch-up mammogram if they are under 72, and those over 72 will be given advice.
Women in Scotland are not thought to be affected as they use different IT systems north of the border. Even though Wales and Northern Ireland use similar systems to England, Hunt said, “neither believe they are affected”.
