HSE Issues Notice to GPs on Re-Assessment of Cancer Patients

Providing re-assurance to women who have had breast assessment in the past two years with a diagnosis that excluded breast cancer.

We recognize that many women who have attended hospital breast clinics in the past two years and who were diagnosed as not having breast cancer are now seeking reassurance as to the certainty of their original assessment. We have every reason to believe that the vast majority of these women who have been assessed in a hospital breast clinic have received the correct and appropriate assessment.

The National Cancer Control Programme is advising any woman who has such concerns and who was evaluated through a hospital breast clinic for breast cancer in the last 2 years (after Sept 2006) to attend their General Practitioner (GP). The GP will have the option to refer patients for reassessment to a breast clinic in one of the designated specialised cancer centres.

The National Cancer Control Programme is establishing a specific referral process for GPs in order that they can access timely re-evaluation. A dedicated GP referral line solely for this purpose will be established within the next 24 hours. A separate communication will be issued to all GPs providing details of this re-referral process.

A copy of the HSE's advice to GPs on referral for re-assessment of negative breast cancer diagnosis can be downloaded below.