A probe into claimed failures in cancer care at a Coventry medical facility has faced postponements.
The scrutiny centres on the delivery of ‘prolonged and unnecessary’ temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy, with the Royal College of Physicians managing the assessment.
Law firm Brabners, which represents a number of patients, indicated that University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Trust had requested additional time to respond to the allegations.
It is now expected that the assessment will conclude in May with results published by September.
Fiona Tinsley, Partner and Head of Clinical Negligence & Serious Injury at Brabners, said more than 18 months had passed since initial concerns were raised about prolonged, off-guideline chemotherapy at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, nearly two years since the trust began its own reviews, and almost a year since the Royal College of Physicians was commissioned to conduct an independent assessment.
However patients, many of whom are seriously unwell, are still waiting for responses. Some have received correspondence from the trust containing limited information and offering no explanation about what occurred, why it happened, or what steps are being taken to address the situation. This does not represent accountability. Patient requests for responses are being postponed while their conditions are not.
A spokesperson for University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust said an independent, external assessment is being led by the Royal College of Physicians, which the trust is fully supporting.
The assessment has not concluded within the originally expected timeframe and officials recognise this may cause additional concern.
Although dates had initially been scheduled the previous year, the commencement of the assessment was rescheduled to ensure all relevant clinical records were fully prepared and available to support a comprehensive evaluation.
It is vital that the Royal College of Physicians is given the necessary time to complete a full, rigorous and thorough assessment.
The investigation concerns allegations that numerous patients at University Hospital Coventry received ‘unnecessary’ chemotherapy medications, many under the care of now-retired Professor Ian Brown.
Contrary to scientific recommendations, some patients were repeatedly administered Temozolomide for extended periods, with some patients suffering severe side effects.