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Enhancing Public Accountability: Key Elements of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill 2025
Kirsty Cook
We are extremely concerned that it has been revealed thousands of patients have not been invited for routine screening for certain cancers and for abdominal aortic aneurism as a result of failings in their GP registration process. The full impact of this is not yet known but records indicate that among those not screened, some people have been diagnosed with a relevant cancer and some may have died.
A statement explaining the position has been given to the House of Commons by Ashley Dalton, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention. The problem dates back as far as 2008 and the affected screening programmes relate to bowel, breast and cervical cancer as well as abdominal aortic aneurism.
The issue has been caused, according to the published statement, because the affected patients’ GP registration process was not completed correctly, resulting in their details not being passed to the NHS screening programmes. Letters have apparently been sent to those affected detailing the next steps for them.
The impact of a systemic error of this nature can be far reaching. It is devastating if a patient has missed screening which would have picked up a life-threatening disease at an earlier stage. Depending upon the circumstances in individual cases, there may be the potential to bring a legal claim for compensation.
The medical negligence team at Kingsley Napley are specialists in claims relating to delays in diagnosis. More general information can be found on our misdiagnosis and cancer claims webpages.
Legal advice
If you or a loved one have been impacted by missed screening and are seeking legal advice then please contact our specialist and sensitive team for a no obligation discussion. We will then be able to confirm whether you may have a legal claim with which we can assist.
Time limits apply in claims for clinical negligence and as such we suggest that advice is sought as soon as possible.
Further information
If you have any questions, please contact Katie Dean in Medical Negligence team.
About the author
Katie Dean is an Associate in the Medical Negligence & Personal Injury team having recently completed her training contract at Kingsley Napley.
We welcome views and opinions about the issues raised in this blog. Should you require specific advice in relation to personal circumstances, please use the form on the contact page.
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