NHS cancer screening programmes “unfit for purpose”

NHS cancer screening programmes have been deemed as “unfit for purpose” by MPs in a report that has been looking into the effectiveness of screening in the UK.

This news come just a year after the huge IT glitch that led to hundreds of thousands of women not receiving vital breast cancer screening because their letters were never sent to them. We’re involved in legal action from that particular scandal, but the recent news of more widespread failures is incredibly concerning.

Medical negligence compensation claims that arise from a failure to diagnose and failure to treat can be common. If the NHS cancer screening programmes are not fit for purpose, we could see more cases of negligence that may shorten lives and cause permanent problems for patients.

NHS cancer screening programmes must improve

The overall message from the reviews into NHS cancer screening programmes is that there’s a desperate need for them to drastically improve.

It’s understood that some 3.7 million Britons have missed out on checks, and around 1.25 million women have waited too long for smear test results last year.

The stress and anxiety alone of having to wait for results can be severe, and having to wait too long only worsens the problem. But we can’t dismiss the overriding issue that some cases of cancer may not be spotted in time, and patients’ lives are at risk.

Screening for bowel, breast and cervical cancer programmes reportedly “consistently fail” to meet targets. This is incredibly worrying news to hear, and it’s clear to us that urgent action is required to protect patients and prevent premature deaths.

Why are screening programmes not working?

It has been suggested that one of the key problems are the IT systems used for NHS cancer screening programmes. The MP’s committee reportedly described them as “woefully inadequate”, with some deemed unfit for purpose since as far back as 2011.

Public Health England reportedly admitted that the system for bowel and breach cancer screening was “hopeless”.

There are said to be 360 different IT systems being used, and some of them are 30 years old. This element of healthcare is again somewhat of a postcode lottery, and it’s clear that changes need to be made as soon as possible.

What can you do if you are failed by NHS cancer screening programmes?

If you are unfortunately failed by inadequate NHS cancer screening programmes, and you suffer as a result, you don’t have to suffer in silence.

Anyone who is the victim of medical negligence may be able to make a claim for personal injury compensation. With some patients being left with permanent complications and shortened lives, it’s important for people to know their rights.