Warning as NHS scans routinely miss cancers, sepsis and broken bones, says health ombudsman
NHS scans routinely miss cancers, sepsis and broken bones, the health ombudsman has warned.
Clinics regularly misread images and take too long to conduct follow-up checks or lose contact with patients.
One man, 82, killed himself to escape the unbearable pain of a spreading cancer after it took three months to pinpoint it.
In another case, NHS doctors disagreed with the findings of a brain cancer scan on a holidaymaker who fell ill in Spain.
He died during an operation almost a year later after NHS medics realised the Spanish doctors had been correct.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman said it had upheld 40 more complaints since a report in 2021 outlined shortcomings in X-ray, CT and MRI clinics.
Ombudsman Rebecca Hilsenrath KC said all involved failures to identify that anything had gone wrong.
She said: “We are still seeing instances where people’s care is sub-optimal, often with devastating consequences.
“It is critical that action is taken to make sure people are correctly diagnosed and swiftly treated.
“NHS leaders need to address this as the important patient safety issue it is.”
Richard Evans, chief executive officer of the Society of Radiographers, said: “The system is under great pressure, and delays in imaging can impact diagnosis and patient outcomes.
“Waiting lists for imaging are growing and right now demand outstrips capacity.”
He said the society would continue to lobby for more equipment and investment in the radiography workforce.
The NHS said: “Our staff work extremely hard but we know there is more to do.”