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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| NHS breast screening invite sent to newsreader's dead wife | NHS breast screening invite sent to newsreader's dead wife |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| A TV news reader has been sent a letter inviting his wife to a breast cancer screening weeks after she died from the disease. | A TV news reader has been sent a letter inviting his wife to a breast cancer screening weeks after she died from the disease. |
| Sky News' Colin Brazier shared a picture on Twitter of the letter from Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust. | Sky News' Colin Brazier shared a picture on Twitter of the letter from Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust. |
| His wife of 20 years Jo died from breast cancer aged 55 on 6 July. Brazier said the letter was a "minor irritation" but "needs noting". | His wife of 20 years Jo died from breast cancer aged 55 on 6 July. Brazier said the letter was a "minor irritation" but "needs noting". |
| Hampshire Hospitals has apologised and said it would investigate the incident. | Hampshire Hospitals has apologised and said it would investigate the incident. |
| Mrs Brazier was invited to attend a screening by the North and Mid Hants Breast Screening Unit on 14 September. | Mrs Brazier was invited to attend a screening by the North and Mid Hants Breast Screening Unit on 14 September. |
| Sharing the picture of the letter, Brazier said: "I know the NHS is the closest thing we have to a state religion etc, but invitations to breast screening fall on deaf ears to those who've already died of breast cancer." | |
| After he shared the picture, dozens of Twitter users expressed their condolence with some calling the letter "insensitive", "disgraceful" and "heartbreaking". | After he shared the picture, dozens of Twitter users expressed their condolence with some calling the letter "insensitive", "disgraceful" and "heartbreaking". |
| In response, Brazier called for a "sense of perspective please" saying it was "not heart-breaking, utterly or otherwise". | In response, Brazier called for a "sense of perspective please" saying it was "not heart-breaking, utterly or otherwise". |
| He said "mistakes occur in all monolithic institutions", but added: "It's just something that needs noting when it happens." | He said "mistakes occur in all monolithic institutions", but added: "It's just something that needs noting when it happens." |
| Hampshire Hospitals later apologised for "the distress this letter must have caused". | Hampshire Hospitals later apologised for "the distress this letter must have caused". |
| It also said it would investigate the case and "look for any lessons that can be learned". | It also said it would investigate the case and "look for any lessons that can be learned". |
| There have been similar cases of bereaved partners receiving letters about their spouses. | There have been similar cases of bereaved partners receiving letters about their spouses. |
| In July PayPal wrote to a woman who died of cancer saying her death breached its rules, and it might take legal action as a consequence. | In July PayPal wrote to a woman who died of cancer saying her death breached its rules, and it might take legal action as a consequence. |
| Lindsay Durdle died aged 37 of cancer, but her husband Howard opened a letter addressed to his wife, which claimed she owed the company £3,200 and she was in breach of a condition stipulated by the online payments system "as we have notice that you are deceased". | Lindsay Durdle died aged 37 of cancer, but her husband Howard opened a letter addressed to his wife, which claimed she owed the company £3,200 and she was in breach of a condition stipulated by the online payments system "as we have notice that you are deceased". |
| The company said it would investigate the case, apologised, and wrote off the debt. | The company said it would investigate the case, apologised, and wrote off the debt. |
| In March 2017 a grieving son opened a letter to his mother from South Gloucestershire Council, saying she was not eligible for a council tax reduction because the "customer passed away". | In March 2017 a grieving son opened a letter to his mother from South Gloucestershire Council, saying she was not eligible for a council tax reduction because the "customer passed away". |
| The council apologised for causing the grieving party upset. | The council apologised for causing the grieving party upset. |
| After his wife died, father-of-six Brazier asked mourners not to wear bright colours at her funeral. | After his wife died, father-of-six Brazier asked mourners not to wear bright colours at her funeral. |
| Writing in the Spectator, he said he was "ill at ease" with some of the modern conventions surrounding funerals. | Writing in the Spectator, he said he was "ill at ease" with some of the modern conventions surrounding funerals. |