'Lack of action' before breast screening concerns

Junior doctors were spoken to inappropriately by seniors, one of the reports said

Jersey's radiology department was beset by leadership problems before some women were given possible false negative readings for breast cancer, independent reviews have found.

Concerns about the department emerged in June when a number of women were recalled for further breast cancer tests.

The reviews found problems with the department's leadership and management may have contributed to the issue.

Health Minister Deputy Tom Binet said many of the issues highlighted by the reviews had already been dealt with.

Health and Community Services (HCS) said it retested 20 women who were given possible false negative results.

Out of the 20, one women tested positive for cancer and was receiving treatment, it said.

It said 16 of the women tested again had been given the all-clear, while the remaining three were awaiting further test results.

Loss of confidence

The reviews by the the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) and British Society of Breast Radiologists (BSBR) found delays in responding to problems affected the department's punctuality.

The BSBR said a "lack of action" from management compounded issues repeatedly raised by staff in the unit, leading to a loss in confidence in the unit's management which "could have been minimised if the issues had been addressed promptly".

The RCR's report noted some junior doctors, particularly females, were spoken to inappropriately by some radiologists.

It added the poor treatment of junior doctors may have led to them avoiding requesting scans when they should have done so.

'Sobering reading'

HCS said an action plan had been drawn up based on the recommendations from the RCR and BSBR reports.

It said the plan would be considered by the HCS Advisory Board at its meeting on 25 July.

Chris Bown, chief officer at HSC, said he was "determined" to make the required changes.

"The wider concerns raised by the Royal College of Radiologists make for sobering reading," he said.

"It is clear we need to reset the relationship between different professional groups in this area and engender a much stronger culture of collaboration and professional respect. I am determined we will do this."

'Going back in time'

The health minister said the issues raised were already being rectified.

Mr Binet said: "We've got to bear in mind this is going back in time.

"These are recognising things that have happened in the past.

"They've been recognised and they have either been dealt with or are in the process of being dealt with."