CONCERNS were raised by GPs over the handling of X-rays at Tallaght hospital as early as last summer, it has emerged.
Yesterday the hospital admitted that almost 58,000 X-rays taken over a four-year period were never reviewed by a consultant radiologist.
Two cancer patients received a delayed diagnosis as a result of the error. One of these patients has since died, while the other is being treated at the hospital.
Some 57,921 adult X-rays between 2005 and the end of 2009 should have been reviewed by a consultant radiologist. However, the majority were reviewed by a “non-radiologist”, according to the hospital.
Tallaght hospital’s chief executive-designate Prof Kevin Conlon said yesterday he became aware of the problem when he was appointed on December 14th last year.
The Irish Timesunderstands that GPs raised concerns over issues relating to backlogs of X-rays last summer. In addition, the hospital was in communication with the Health Information Quality Authority (Hiqa) for several months prior to last December.
A spokeswoman for Tallaght hospital said that while there were “concerns” over the issue prior to last December, the scale and nature of the problem only came to light following a full review in December.
Prof Conlon said yesterday the handling of X-rays at Tallaght hospital was “totally unacceptable” and arose from “systemic and process failures”.
He said he immediately arranged for the hiring of extra consultants and additional administrative and technical support to help clear the backlog after becoming aware of the issue.
“Every patient who has an X-ray at Tallaght hospital now has a report generated from a consultant radiologist. There are no unreported X-rays from September 2009,” he said.
“I now receive a weekly report on progress which just shows a backlog today reduced by 34,752 to 23,169. The backlog will be cleared entirely by May.” Prof Conlon said staff were working longer hours and over weekends to clear the backlog.
“It is to the hospital’s deep regret that there have been two patients who have had a delayed diagnosis as a result of this. One of these persons is under treatment at the hospital for a cancer. The other patient died at the hospital last summer.
“I was informed of this latter case today [Tuesday] and I am pursuing the matter with urgency.”
The X-rays at the centre of the controversy are adult and do not affect children. The HSE said last night it will meet the hospital later today to consider the options in relation to bringing this process to a conclusion as quickly as possible.