Doctors in Britain are apologizing for the text of a text message that thousands of patients received shortly before Christmas
Askern Medical Practice in Doncaster has apologized for texting thousands of patients two days before Christmas to tell them they had “aggressive metastatic lung cancer”, reports Vice.
On December 23, representatives of the medical center sent a text message to their patients with an unusual request to fill out the DS1500 form.
It is a form that allows terminally ill patients to quickly claim benefits. “Diagnosis – aggressive lung cancer with metastases,” the text message said.
Askern’s medical practice has about 8,000 patients, according to the BBC.
The medical center sent an apology text about an hour after the lung cancer report. In the latest news, the surgery center wanted to wish its patients all the best during the holidays.
“Please accept our sincere apologies for the earlier text message,” the apology letter said. “It was sent in error. Our message should have been: We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. In an emergency, please call NHS 111.”
On Jan. 3, the medical facility released another statement blaming both human error and computer-related issues.
The apology, however, did not lessen the shock of patients who felt it in the hour between the first and second text messages on December 23. “I’ve just had my birthmark removed and I’m waiting for the biopsy results. I’d been in hospital because my smear test was abnormal, so yes I was very worried,” one patient told the BBC.
