London - Eleven women have developed breast cancer even though a clinic gave them the "all clear" in the latest serious error to hit cancer screening in Britain, health officials said yesterday.
The women, who underwent routine screening at a London clinic, were sent a letter saying nothing abnormal had been found, the National Health Service (NHS) trust which runs the service said.
"The effect of this error was that the women's treatment may have been delayed, in some cases by a few weeks and in others months," Mr John Cooper, chief executive of Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, said.
"We deeply regret the considerable distress caused to these women and we have tried to do everything we can to ensure they receive appropriate treatment as soon as possible."