NHS Error Leaves 5,000 Patients Missing Cancer Screenings, Linked to 10 Deaths

March 13, 2025
NHS Error Leaves 5,000 Patients Missing Cancer Screenings, Linked to 10 Deaths
  • NHS England is reaching out to the 5,261 individuals who missed their screening invitations, offering support and catch-up screenings where applicable.

  • The issue stemmed from incomplete GP registrations, with some registrations returned for further information but never finalized, resulting in missed invitations.

  • Health Minister Ashley Dalton revealed on March 11, 2025, that an administrative error has led to over 5,000 patients missing vital NHS screenings.

  • This oversight, which affected routine screenings for bowel, breast, cervical cancer, and abdominal aortic aneurysms, has been linked to ten cancer-related deaths.

  • The administrative mistake was first reported in 2024 when patients noted they had not received their screening invitations, prompting an investigation.

  • In response to the oversight, NHS England has implemented new processes to monitor GP registrations and ensure timely updates.

  • Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccinations and screening, apologized for the error and confirmed that the issue has been resolved.

  • A clinical harm assessment will be conducted to evaluate the impact of the screening delays on affected patients.

  • Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, emphasized the need for safeguards to prevent such administrative errors that can affect patient health.

  • An IT error at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust in November 2024 exacerbated the situation by delaying over 9,000 letters to GPs.

  • Dr. Ian Walker from Cancer Research UK criticized the failure to invite eligible individuals for screenings, highlighting the need for early cancer diagnosis and prevention.

  • Russell reiterated the importance of ensuring all eligible individuals are invited to life-saving screenings.

Summary based on 2 sources


Get a daily email with more UK News stories

More Stories