DEVASTATED daughters have blasted a private health provider over “catastrophic” failings after it took years for the true cause of their mum’s persistent cough to be found.
Margaret Jones had a CT scan in February 2019 showing cause for concern in her right lung.
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But it wasn’t until December 2023 that the gran-of-ten was diagnosed with lung cancer.
Her daughters say that, by the time she was told, the cancer had spread to her brain and bones – ultimately causing her death in August 2024, aged 76.
But they claim if health providers GenesisCare had acted sooner, their mum might still be alive today.
Lawyers have now been instructed over Margaret’s death.
Her daughter Karen said: “We are so angry, devastated, and absolutely lost without our mum.
“She was the centre of our world, and to lose her in such a preventable way, and to know her cancer was treatable, has destroyed our whole world.
“This need not have happened.
“Mum put her absolute faith in the medical profession; she would never have doubted what the professionals told her.
“But what has happened here is a catastrophic failure, and was utterly devastating for her to find out about.”
Her other daughter, Sarah, added: “Mum didn’t want this to happen to anyone else, so we as a family are speaking out in the hope we can stop this happening again, to save even one more family being torn apart as we have been.”
Margaret, who also had a son, was referred to GenesisCare, an oncology treatment provider, by Spire Hospital Portsmouth, where she paid privately for her care.
She then had a preparatory CT scan ahead of a course of radiotherapy she was due to undergo for already-diagnosed breast cancer – which identified an area of concern in her upper right lung.
However, this was not escalated to Margaret’s oncologist, it is claimed.
In 2022, Margaret, from Fareham, had an NHS chest X ray after suffering a continuous cough.
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At the time, the results came back “clear” – but it was later revealed that the tumour was visible on this scan too.
She was finally diagnosed in December 2023 when she returned to seek medical attention after experiencing weight loss and a lack of appetite.
It was then that she received her diagnosis – and doctors disclosed that her cancer could have been caught earlier.
GenesisCare, which has referred itself to the CQC over its role in the case, is carrying out an internal investigation into what happened.
However, lawyers for Margaret’s family claim this has been disrupted due to a lack of an audit trail, missing medical records, and missing emails.
Karen said: “I don’t know how an organisation can operate without an audit trail, particularly one that deals in life or death information.
Our mum was absolutely everything to us, she was amazing, and her grandchildren cannot understand that they will never see her again
Sarah
“This way of working is not fit for purpose. They have fundamentally failed our mum.
“The failures are just so basic.
“When you’re passing on information of this kind of importance, you request an email read receipt, to make sure it has been passed on.
“The continuity of information is absolutely critical in situations like this.
“Without proper processes in place, this could absolutely happen again, and that is really terrifying for us.
“We need proper answers so we can fix the root cause of what happened here.”
WHAT IS LUNG CANCER?
LUNG cancer is the most deadly common cancer in the UK.
It is considered a common cancer alongside prostate, breast and bowel, which together make up more than half of all new cases.
Around 49,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year and 35,000 die from it.
Just one in 10 patients survive for a decade or more after being diagnosed and lung tumours make up 21 per cent of cancer deaths in the UK but only 13 per cent of cases.
The main reason that it is so deadly is that symptoms are not obvious in the early stages.
When signs do appear they may include:
- A cough that lasts three weeks or more, and may hurt
- Repeated chest infections
- Coughing up blood
- Breathlessness
- Unusual tiredness
The NHS does not routinely screen for lung cancer but is rolling out more tests to smokers and ex-smokers at high risk, in a bid to catch it earlier. Testing may involve X-rays and chest CT scans.
Smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer and accounts for about 70 per cent of cases.
Risk may also be higher for people who have inhaled other fumes or toxic substances at work, such as asbestos, coal smoke or silica.
Sarah added: “We asked to see her medical records, and this showed us it had been the case.
“As a family, we really want more people to be aware they can ask for their medical records and see copies of their scans.
“Of course if proper processes are in place you shouldn’t have to do this, but we want people to ask for a second opinion if they have concerns, and not to be afraid to do so.
“Our family will never recover from what has happened to us.
“Our mum was absolutely everything to us, she was amazing, and her grandchildren cannot understand that they will never see her again.
“When the doorbell rings, my youngest child asks, ‘is that nanny?’ It’s completely devastating.”
‘Deepest condolences’
Margaret’s family are being supported by law firm Slater and Gordon.
Nicole Jackson, associate and clinical negligence specialist, said: “This is an absolutely shocking failure of process which has had the most tragic consequences.
“Margaret’s family are struggling to comprehend what went wrong, and have to live with the knowledge that had the tumour been acted upon, their mother would most probably still be here with them today.
“There are many questions to answer here, and we will support them in finding the truth.
“It is vital that we establish how these failings were allowed to occur and what lessons must be learned, to support the family in ensuring this never happens again.”
A spokesperson for GenesisCare said: “We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Margaret Jones.
“The circumstances surrounding the passing of Margaret remain under investigation to identify any failings and ensure lessons are learned where required.
“Unfortunately, we are not able to provide any further comment at this time as legal proceedings have been intimated and the matter is in the hands of lawyers.”
