‘Unacceptable’ private test failures means thousands of bowel tumours missed every year

A new study suggests that private bowel cancer screening tests miss or fail to prevent more than double the proportion of cases as those offered through the NHS.

Researchers studied over 120,000 patients who underwent a colonoscopy, the leading colorectal cancer test, in England between 2005 and 2013 and who were later diagnosed with the disease (PCCRCs), which are thought to be ‘largely avoidable’.

The overall rate of PCCRCs, looking at both the private providers and the NHS, reduced from 9 per cent in 2005 to 6.5 per cent in 2013. However, whilst the trend is continuing to reduce, the study which was led by the University of Leeds, identified ‘substantial variation’ between providers.

3.6 per cent of cancers were diagnosed between six months and three years following the procedure within the NHS bowel cancer screening programme, which compared with 7.4 per cent overall in the NHS and 9.3 per cent diagnosed following a false negative colonoscopy undertaken by a private provider.

Private providers are being used increasingly to meet the rising demand within the NHS, which carries out over 650,000 colonoscopies a year. The study authors believe it is likely that patients at a higher risk are being seen by the BCSP while those with a lower risk are being referred to the independent sector.

They added that it would be reasonable to assume that the high quality of colonoscopies offered through the BCSP contributes to its reduced rates, and that the differences may also be linked to accreditation and training processes.

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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