GP surgery accidentally texts patients telling them they have cancer instead of wishing them Merry Christmas
The GP surgery has since apologised after accidentally texting hundreds of patients telling them they had cancer. But the message should have been wished them a Merry Christmas.
The message which was sent in error at the Askern Medical Practice near Doncaster on Friday December 23, informing them they had lung cancer.
One of those who received the text has just undergone some tests for the condition which cause his partner to burst in to tears.
The message read From the forwarded letters at CMP, Dr [name] has asked for you to do a DS1500 for the above patient. Diagnosis – Aggressive lung cancer with metastases.”
Metastases is a term used when cancer has spread in a patient, making it more difficult to treat. DS1500 is a type of form used so that people with terminal illnesses can claim benefits.
Just 22 minutes after the shocking message was accidentally sent to patients, the surgery sent out another explaining that it had been circulated by mistake. In the second text, Askern Medical Practice offered its “sincere apologies” for the error and said the text should have in fact wished its patients “a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”