The chief executive of the HSE warned today that further cases of cancer misdiagnoses are expected, after it emerged last night that a third case is likely to be confirmed..
There have been calls for an inquiry into procedures at Ennis General Hospital after Professor Brendan Drumm confirmed yesterday that medical files have been taken from the hospital for assessment at another facility.
The revelation emerged in a response to questions from Clare Fine Gael Councillor Joe Cooney who put several questions to Prof Drumm at the Regional Health Forum West meeting held in Galway.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Irelandthis morning, Prof Drumm said people who are concerned about their health should contact their local practitioner. He said there would be a "very rapid response" to concerns raised by women.
Prof Drumm said he had "no difficulty whatsoever" with any inquiry into the Ennis cases. He said that any review of Irish cancer services prior to the establishment of a national Irish cancer control programme would find that there "was an unacceptably high level of both misdiagnosis or late diagnosis". He said the HSE was "100 per cent supportive of providing any information to anyone who requires it".
"We're focused on Ennis but there may be other cases from Cork to Donegal in this system and we would expect that there are based on the system that was being run which we inherited and which we are now fixing," said Prof Drumm.
"There are people up and down this country who have been in the last year to their doctor and found that they have a delayed diagnosis and we know we did not have a comprehensive system of care in place for cancer patients in place...many of these people would not have come to public attention."
Prof Drumm said the HSE was seeking to address this through its cancer control programme but he warned that there may be both misdiagnosis or late diagnosis for other conditions as well.
"This is not just cancer, this is how we've organised our health services and similar risks exist in the system up and down the country in other areas because of the way we're organised."
Last night, Minister for Health Mary Harney said she believed the HSE was investigating another case of delayed diagnosis, which she was yet to receive facts about, but that may not involve a fatality.
The disclosure of a third case of possible cancer misdiagnosis comes after parents of Co Clare cancer victim Edel Kelly demanded that the Health Service Executive (HSE) apologise for failing to diagnose their daughter’s cancer.
Edel Kelly (26) died last June after first presenting to the hospital with a lump in her breast. The lump was initially diagnosed as benign but a request for subsequent follow-up to confirm this was not acted upon.
The cancer was finally diagnosed in October 2007, by which time it had spread to the mother of two's liver and bones.
The case relating to Ms Kelly comes only 10 days after the revelation that another woman, Ann Moriarty (53) died after a cancer misdiagnosis at the same hospital.
The Irish Cancer Society said diagnosis and initial treatment of breast cancer should take place in a specialist environment.
In a statement yesterday, the society’s chief executive John McCormack said: “Having all healthcare professionals involved in a woman’s care from the day she presents to a designated breast cancer centre ensures that no specialist operates in isolation and care of patients is discussed by many specialists working on the same site.”
“This increases expertise, facilitates peer reviews and effective leadership and minimises errors,” he added. He said it was essential that there be a mechanism for measuring standards in each designated centre.
Women concerned about any issues can call the Action Breast Cancer Helpline on Freefone 1800 30 90 40. The line is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and is staffed by specialist breast care nurses.
