The family of a 75-year-old woman who was not told for nine months that tests on her at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise indicated she had cancer, settled an action for damages against the Health Service Executive (HSE) last year, it has emerged.
The woman had an ultrasound at the hospital in March 2005 when she presented with abdominal pain. The test indicated she had a tumour, but neither she nor her GP were given the results of the test until she presented with worse pain in December 2005.
The woman died of colon cancer in June 2006. Her family has settled an action against the HSE for €35,000 without any admission of liability.
Declan O'Flaherty, her Athlone-based solicitor, told RTÉ News the woman was appalled at the treatment she received. He said the HSE never explained why her results were never given to her.
The HSE said it acknowledged a settlement was made by the State Claims Agency on behalf of HSE in late December 2006 in relation to a case taken in early 2006. It claimed patients' test results are now always sent to their family doctor.
It said: "Following the settlement, a risk management review of the patient care was undertaken in the hospital. The review team included all the key individuals who had been involved in the patient care, including the patient's GP. As a result, a revised standard operating procedure is now in place whereby the results are sent directly to the referring doctors. Also, all verified results are now seen by the emergency medicine consultant".