THE FAMILY of a 53-year-old woman who died of breast cancer earlier this year has called for an independent review of all X-rays read at Ennis General Hospital after two internal Health Service Executive (HSE) reports found serious errors were made in her case.
The reports, which have not yet been published, reveal a chest X-ray on Ann Moriarty at Ennis hospital on June 11th, 2007, was misread as normal by a locum consultant radiologist. They also reveal the medical team in the hospital's emergency department wrongly found another chest X-ray on her on August 11th, 2007, was "fine".
The reports indicate that, while Ms Moriarty was noted by nursing staff in AE to look very unwell on August 11th, 2007, she was discharged with a prescription for Motilium for an upset stomach. Blood test results showing elevated tumour markers were filed away without ever being acted upon.
On August 14th, 2007, she was still unwell and her husband Karl Henry took her to the Galway Clinic for a second opinion. The mother of one was admitted immediately and her family told she had a recurrence of breast cancer which had spread to her brain, liver and bones.
She died on April 25th last.
Mr Henry sought a review of her care and, while the internal reports now provided to the family by the HSE indicate errors were made, the family feels an independent investigation is warranted to ensure other X-ray results provided to patients by Ennis hospital were not misread.
The family is concerned that Ms Moriarty was given a clean bill of health after a check-up at St James's Hospital, Dublin, in April 2007.
She had been treated for breast cancer at the Dublin hospital in 2005 and had undergone a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She was in remission when she attended St James's for a checkup in 2007. The hospital did a mammogram at that time, which is now missing. Mr Henry says St James's should be included in the independent investigation as the possibility that it also made errors could not be excluded.
Mr Henry is supported in his campaign for an independent inquiry by breast cancer misdiagnosis victim Rebecca O'Malley. He now wants a meeting with Minister for Health Mary Harney.
He says the HSE's head of consumer affairs, Mary Culliton, told him by letter at the end of last month that "the HSE will not be proceeding with additional investigations into the care provided to your wife".
In a statement last night the HSE said: "Until the HSE has the opportunity to again meet Mr Henry, it would not be appropriate to comment further . . . on an individual case."
A spokesman for St James's Hospital said it had apologised to Mr Henry for not being able to locate the mammogram. "We have improved our tracking systems to avoid a recurrence of such an incident," he said. He added that the hospital has also offered to meet Mr Henry to discuss his concerns.