Altnagelvin cancer patient whose diagnosis was delayed has died

It’s emerged that at least one of four people whose cancer diagnoses were delayed at Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital has since died.
Details of the person’s death emerged after the Western Health Trust revealed that four people had to wait up to 10 months for their cancer to be diagnosed.
The delays in diagnosing the cancers happened after written assessments of 18,500 X-rays were not carried out. The backlog emerged last July when it came to light that important reports had not been completed by clinicians.
The Western Health Trust has refused to give details of the four people because of what it described as “patient confidentiality”, but is apologising for the backlog, which has now been cleared.
A spokesperson says the delay in carrying out the written assessments was caused by staff and equipment shortages. It is not yet clear whether the delay in diagnosis contributed to the patient’s death.