Cancer Misdiagnosis on the rise

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is an extremely worrying and frightening time for any patient and it is therefore important that it is treated quickly and correctly in order to increase their chances of recovery.  

However, cancer misdiagnoses are becoming more frequent which can significantly delay a patient’s treatment which can not only affect their chances of recovery, but also can cause significant distress to the patient and their family.

Unfortunately, in recent years cancer misdiagnoses have been on the rise within the UK and we are seeing a substantial increase in claims being made for cancer misdiagnosis.  Despite the NHS having targets to detect cancer early on and improve diagnosis times, within the last few years there has been little improvement.  

A cancer misdiagnosis is when signs of cancer are not identified by a healthcare professional or is thought to be a different illness, and therefore delayed or incorrect treatment is given.  This can be extremely serious and can reduce the likelihood of the patient’s recovery.  

Understaffing within the NHS is one of the main causes for misdiagnosis of cancer over the years together with health professionals relying on outdated equipment which can misinterpret test results rather than using their own skills.

Healthcare professionals have a duty of care to provide patients with the best possible care and treatment for their patients and missing or overlooking signs of cancer is a breach of their duty of care.  Therefore, a misdiagnosis of cancer is considered to be medical negligence.

Have you suffered a cancer misdiagnosis?

Has this led to delayed or incorrect treatment being received?  If so, our Medical Negligence Team are here to provide guidance and assistance in helping you make a medical negligence claim in what is understandably an extremely distressing time for you and your family.