Medical Negligence Lawyers Instructed To Investigate After Audit Found ‘Normal’ Result Should Have Been Reported As ‘Abnormal’

A West Sussex woman who underwent a radical hysterectomy following a diagnosis of cervical cancer has instructed lawyers to investigate after an audit found a smear result three years earlier was incorrectly reported.

In 2014, the 54-year-old nurse, attended a routine cervical screening test which was reported as ‘normal’.

Nurse complaining of intermittent bleeding referred to hospital for tests

She then visited her GP surgery several times in three years complaining of intermittent bleeding. She was referred to hospital for an ultrasound and endometrial biopsy tests which were clear.

In July 2019, a further smear test was carried out and again reported as ‘normal.’. The woman returned to her GP around a year later as the bleeding had returned.

Her symptoms continued intermittently for another two years and she continued to present herself to doctors repeatedly with symptoms. In August 2022, the mum-of-two was again referred to gynaecology. Less than two months later, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and underwent a radical hysterectomy, an extensive procedure which included removal of her uterus, cervix, both fallopian tubes and ovaries, together with tissues around the cervix including ligaments, lymph nodes and part of the vagina.

Audit finds smear had evidence of pre-cancerous cell changes

In May 2023, she was informed by the hospital that an audit found that her 2019 smear test reported as ‘normal’ was in fact ‘abnormal.’ At minimum, it should have been reported as a high grade moderate smear with evidence of pre-cancerous cell changes, the audit said, with one consultant who had undertaken the audit marking the smear as ‘high grade severe’. If this had happened, a referral would have been made for a colposcopy and it’s likely a diagnostic loop excision would have been performed to assess the abnormality and treatment.

The woman’s 2014 smear was also re-reviewed in the audit and was considered to have actually been a ‘high grade moderate’ result.

Medical negligence lawyers instructed to investigate

The woman, who does not want to be named, has now instructed expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate her care under University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester and was responsible for analysing the 2019 smear.

Expert Opinion

“It’s been an incredibly difficult time for our client, who remains devastated by her diagnosis and the physical and psychological impact it’s had on her life. Sadly, worrying issues in the analysis of our client’s test result have emerged. Understandably our client has a number of concerns over the care she received, which we’re now investigating further to provide her with all of the answer she deserves. In the meantime, it’s important that there’s not a loss of confidence in the cervical cancer screening programme and women continue to attend appointments. Early detection and treatment is key to beating cancer.” Alice Fitzgerald Miller, Medical Negligence lawyer

Cervical cancer: A West Sussex woman's story

The woman said:

"I knew something wasn’t right, but I was reassured time and time again. So it completely floored me when I was told that I had cancer and my result three years prior had been reported incorrectly. To this day I still can’t believe how it got to this point. To be told I had cancer and had to undergo a radical hysterectomy was devastating. While I know there’s nothing that can be done to change my experience, I want to ensure that others presenting with symptoms, despite a negative smear result are investigated thoroughly without assumptions being made.”

Cervical Cancer Prevention Weeks runs from 22-28 January. For more information visit the Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust website

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling cervical cancer cases