NHS Shared Business Services, the company behind the mix up, was employed across the East Midlands to redirect mail for the health service. It was meant to pass on documents that had been incorrectly addressed and for patients who had moved GP surgery.
However, between 2011 and 2016, NHS SBS failed to deliver 709,000 pieces of correspondence, including vital cancer test results and child protection notes. Current estimates put the number of patients at risk of potential harm at 1,788 but this figure is likely to rise significantly, as 200,000 of the records have not yet been checked.
The mismanagement of clinical correspondence can cause real harm to patients, preventing them from accessing the care they need. In this case, the failure to handle records properly has led to cancer tests going undelivered – with the potential to delay vital, lifesaving treatment for patients in our region.
Those affected in this case need to be able to access justice and we advise them to seek out expert advice from a legal firm that specialises in Medical Negligence.
The National Audit Office is investigating the blunder and has published a report estimating the cost of dealing with the incident as at least £6.6 million. NHS England is looking into the individual patient cases to assess the potential for harm.
If you, or any of your family members have been affected by the recent NHS mail blunder, please contact the Hodgkinsons Medical Negligence team on 01754 897150 or start your claim online.