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| Over 1,700 patients at risk in 'colossal' NHS mail blunder | Over 1,700 patients at risk in 'colossal' NHS mail blunder |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least 1,700 patients may have been harmed by a 'colossal' blunder that meant thousands of patient records were left to pile up in a warehouse. | At least 1,700 patients may have been harmed by a 'colossal' blunder that meant thousands of patient records were left to pile up in a warehouse. |
| The number at risk is likely to rise as only two thirds of the 700,000 notes found had been checked, officials said. | The number at risk is likely to rise as only two thirds of the 700,000 notes found had been checked, officials said. |
| Cancer test results and child protection notes were among the documents that were missing in England. | Cancer test results and child protection notes were among the documents that were missing in England. |
| The National Audit Office also said there were questions to answer about the handling of the incident. | |
| Its review of the issue looked at the role of the government and the company responsible for the mix-up, which is part-owned by the Department of Health. | Its review of the issue looked at the role of the government and the company responsible for the mix-up, which is part-owned by the Department of Health. |
| The company, NHS Shared Business Services (SBS), was employed in the East Midlands, South West and north-west London to redirect mail for the health service. | The company, NHS Shared Business Services (SBS), was employed in the East Midlands, South West and north-west London to redirect mail for the health service. |
| It was meant to pass on documents that had either been incorrectly addressed or needed re-routing because the patient had moved to a new GP surgery. | It was meant to pass on documents that had either been incorrectly addressed or needed re-routing because the patient had moved to a new GP surgery. |
| But between 2011 and 2016 a backlog of 709,000 pieces of correspondence piled up in a NHS SBS warehouse. | But between 2011 and 2016 a backlog of 709,000 pieces of correspondence piled up in a NHS SBS warehouse. |
| 'Colossal' blunder | 'Colossal' blunder |
| The issue came to light in February after the Guardian newspaper reported it. | The issue came to light in February after the Guardian newspaper reported it. |
| Now the NAO has reviewed what exactly happened and found: | Now the NAO has reviewed what exactly happened and found: |
| The report by the NAO found the cost of dealing with the incident was likely to be in the region of at least £6.6m. | The report by the NAO found the cost of dealing with the incident was likely to be in the region of at least £6.6m. |
| A spokeswoman for NHS SBS acknowledged there had been "failings". | A spokeswoman for NHS SBS acknowledged there had been "failings". |
| She added: "We regret this situation and have co-operated fully with the NAO in its investigation." | She added: "We regret this situation and have co-operated fully with the NAO in its investigation." |
| A Department of Health spokeswoman said it was committed to being transparent over the handling of the issue and was working to make sure this did not happen again. | A Department of Health spokeswoman said it was committed to being transparent over the handling of the issue and was working to make sure this did not happen again. |
| It said it was given advice not to raise the alarm publicly until it had a better understanding of the problem, concerns about patient safety would always outweigh its role as a shareholder in the company and as yet there had still been no proof of harm to patients. | |
| Individual investigations - overseen by NHS England - are taking place into the 1,788 cases of potential harm identified by GPs who have reviewed the missing notes. | Individual investigations - overseen by NHS England - are taking place into the 1,788 cases of potential harm identified by GPs who have reviewed the missing notes. |
| On top of that over 200,000 records have still to be reviewed by GPs in the first place to determine if there was a potential for harm to have happened. | On top of that over 200,000 records have still to be reviewed by GPs in the first place to determine if there was a potential for harm to have happened. |
| All investigations are expected to be completed by the end of the year. | All investigations are expected to be completed by the end of the year. |
| Dr Richard Vautrey, of the British Medical Association, said the "disastrous" situation should never happen again. | Dr Richard Vautrey, of the British Medical Association, said the "disastrous" situation should never happen again. |
| "The handling and transfer of clinical correspondence is a crucial part of how general practice operates, and it's essential that important information reaches GPs as soon as possible so that they can provide the best possible care to their patients." | "The handling and transfer of clinical correspondence is a crucial part of how general practice operates, and it's essential that important information reaches GPs as soon as possible so that they can provide the best possible care to their patients." |
| Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron described it as "colossal blunder". | Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron described it as "colossal blunder". |
| And shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the whole episode was a "scandal" that ministers needed to answer for. | And shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the whole episode was a "scandal" that ministers needed to answer for. |
| "This is a staggering catalogue of mistakes on this government's watch," he added. | "This is a staggering catalogue of mistakes on this government's watch," he added. |
| Read more from Nick | Read more from Nick |
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