THE report on the Hospital’s Radiology Department – with a supporting action plan for the future – will be published tomorrow.
Health Minister Tom Binet apologised to States Members yesterday for the delay in publishing the review, which he said he only became aware of in March, although he acknowledged it had been provided to Health and Community Services in January.
He added that he was now taking steps to avoid such delays in future with what he described as “a self-imposed protocol”.
A JEP investigation revealed last month that the Hospital had to recall 20 women for breast cancer screening and review more than 2,700 scans amid concerns that a radiologist misdiagnosed patients.
Responding to an oral question from former Health Minister Deputy Karen Wilson at yesterday’s States sitting, Deputy Binet said: “I’d like to assure the Deputy and Members that I had no intention of withholding information for any specific purpose.
“I am now acutely aware of the need for a carefully considered approach to such matters, and I am currently working on the development of a short, specific protocol to ensure that I and future Health ministers – if they choose to adopt it – have a recognised method and timeline to deal with publication of reports, reviews and the release of other important information in all areas of health care.”
Deputy Binet did not give a categorical answer to a question from Deputy Jonathan Renouf, who sought reassurance that those involved in the radiology case accepted Royal College guidelines.
“As the Deputy well knows, there are a number of complications in this area,” said Deputy Binet.
“There are problems internally in the Hospital; they are complicated, they relate to employment matters, so I’m not free to comment completely openly but what I can assure Members is that they are being addressed with urgency.”
Deputy Renouf then said: “Given that this is a matter of absolute public safety, what reassurance is he prepared to offer the public that he is in charge of a department where treatment is safe if we have consultants who are not accepting Royal College reports?”
The minister said that it was impossible to give a 100% guarantee but he added: “The one thing I can guarantee 100% is that this is receiving my absolute attention. From a political perspective, there are limits to what you can do but I recognise that there is a problem – I think it’s public knowledge that there’s a problem – and I’m in the process of dealing with it.”
