A CONSULTANT at a Wirral hospital wrongly told a patient that she did not have cancer, delaying her treatment by five weeks.

Staff at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Arrowe Park Hospital and Clatterbridge, told a patient - known as “Mrs C” - following surgery - that she was suffering from cancer that would require treatment.

But three weeks later, another surgical consultant told her a preliminary histology report indicated that there was no evidence of cancer after all.

The trust paid Mrs C’s husband £1,200 compensation after he had complained on behalf of his wife.

This is one of 161 summaries of investigations carried out by the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman between April and June this year – five of which are in Merseyside.

The Ombudsman Service investigates complaints about the NHS in England and UK government departments and their agencies, such as the Passport Office and the DVLA.

The summaries published today include 35 Parliamentary cases and 126 healthcare cases.

In a report, the Ombudsman said: “In Summer 2012, Mrs C underwent surgery at the trust. After the surgery, staff told her that she had cancer in her stomach lining and bowel.

“They told her that she would need cancer treatment and further tests, but they did not arrange these. Mrs C then saw a surgical consultant, who said that there was no cancer whatsoever.”

However, five weeks later the surgical consultant told Mrs C that she did in fact have cancer.

“He apologised and said that an amended histology report had arrived that now included the diagnoses of cancer,” said the report.

Urgent action was taken to refer the patient for chemotherapy, which began in autumn 2012.

The report published following the investigation said: “The initial histology report that the surgical consultant saw before he told Mrs C that she did not have cancer said that cancer was present and that Mrs C needed treatment,”

“It was apparent that the consultant did not read this report properly. However, our clinical adviser told us that the five-week delay in starting chemotherapy that this mistake caused would not have affected Mrs C’s prognosis.”

The trust had already accepted that there had been a failing in the care provided by the surgical consultant and had made several improvements designed to avoid a similar occurrence in the future.

The Ombudsman said: “Both the trust and the consultant had already apologised for the error made.

“We did not feel that there were any more changes the trust could make but we recommended that it should pay compensation to Mr C, who had complained on behalf of his wife, for the distress caused by the incorrect information given to Mr and Mrs C.”

A trust spokesperson said: “The delivery of safe, high quality patient care is our main priority.

“As soon as the Trust was alerted to this misdiagnosis, we acted quickly and effectively to reduce any distress to the patient in the delay of their prognosis and subsequent treatment.

“We welcome that this report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman highlights the urgent action undertaken by the Trust as well as the steps introduced to avoid any similar occurrence happening in the future.”