Hay demands independent review after X-ray debacle

Mr Hay said he has been contacted by many constituents anxious they may have been affected by the backlog.

It was subsequently revealed four cancer patients had received a late diagnosis as a result of the X-ray backlog and that one man had later died.

Mr Hay told the Sentinel: “I think we are in a very serious situation and I don’t think we have heard the last of it.

“My fear is that lives are being put at risk. The worrying thing is - if we had not had this review - would we have found out about this at all.”

Asked if he felt cuts to the health service and consequently the Western Trust budgets were having a detrimental effect Mr Hay was unequivocal; it’s not about cuts; it’s about management.

“You can’t blame cuts on what happened. It’s a senior management issue. People haven’t been doing their job,” he blasted.

“I’ve had patients coming to me - worried - saying ‘I could have been one of those patients?’ Where does the whole thing end? Is there more to this than we’ve been told?”

Mr Hay believes an independent investigation of the Trust should be carried out.

“An external, independent review should be carried out. There are quite a lot of issues that really need to be addressed,” he said.

SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan said there must be a full and honest disclosure by the Western Trust concerning X-rays.

Mr Durkan said: “This report comes as worrying news for those affected and those wondering if they could be affected.

“The public will want full clarification of the nature and scale of the issues involved, explanation of the circumstances and reassurances around remedial action and guarantees for the future.

“Patient and public confidence is very important, so confusing or partial reporting by either the health authorities or the media would not be good enough.

“As MP, I am making my own direct enquiries with both the Western Trust and the NI Health and Social Care Board to encourage the clearest and fullest possible disclosure in relation to both the problems involved and the measures now in place.

“I am conscious that alongside public confidence, staff morale in a hospital should also be at a premium. That is why the fullest, honest confirmation of the issues and implications, and the best, honest affirmation of the current and future performance are now needed from the Western Trust and the regional Health and Social Care Board.”

Meanwhile the Western Trust said the disgrace of a former Altnagelvin radiographer - convicted of downloading thousands of indecent images of children in 2008 and subsequently struck off in spring 2009 - was totally unconnected with the X Ray backlog the following year.

Ivor Gilfillan, of Limavady, was responsible for taking X-rays at Altnagelvin but the Trust said the backlog was a result of a shortage of radiologists.

The Sentinel asked if the Trust had any problems recruiting a replacement for Gilfillan and if this in any way contributed to the backlog.

A spokesperson for the Trust said: “These matters are totally unconnected.”

Last week’s review recommended that the Trust: “Actively seek to recruit to all radiology posts (to meet current workload) through funding more posts or outsourcing the reporting of X-rays, or a combination of both.”