Smear test error led to Walsall mum's hysterectomy

A SMEAR test error at a Birmingham hospital led to a Walsall mum having to undergo a major operation to stop the spread of cancer.

Lyn Harris, from the Pheasey Estate, had a hysterectomy after cervical cancer had developed despite an earlier smear test showing abnormalities.

The blunder, believed to have been caused by human error at City Hospital's pathology lab, meant cancerous changes had been missed for over three years, before analysis of a further test in May 2005 identified the abnormality.

Mrs Harris's GP referred her to Good Hope Hospital, in Sutton Coldfield, where a biopsy revealed she had invasive cervical cancer.

The 53-year-old has now received an undisclosed five figure out of court settlement from Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, who admitted responsibility for the pathology lab error.

"The whole thing was like a terrible nightmare and I was in such a state before the hysterectomy because at that stage no-one could tell me how far the cancer had spread," Mrs Harris said.

"I was so shocked by the diagnosis, particularly as I had always attended for regular smears every three years without fail.

"When I was in hospital undergoing the biopsy, I overheard one of the medical staff say that they did not know how it could have got so bad in three years."

Two weeks after undergoing the hysterectomy on September 19, 2005 Mrs Harris received the good news that the cancer had not spread to other organs.

However, a review of an April 2002 test showed there were 600 to 800 abnormal cells indicating early stage cancer. Had Mrs Harris been recalled at that stage her cancer could have been treated with laser surgery.

"Recent awareness about cervical cancer has increased significantly as a result of what happened to Jade Goody," Mrs Harris said.

"I am pleased that more women are having smear tests as a result.

"However, as my situation has shown, cervical smears are not fool proof and are not 100 per cent effective in detecting abnormalities. I can only hope that lessons have been learned."

Medical negligence expert Julie Lewis, from Irwin Mitchell solicitors, who acted on Mrs Harris' behalf, said: "The defendants admitted that if Lyn had been recalled and referred for treatment at an earlier stage, she would certainly have avoided the need for a hysterectomy.

"In addition to the major surgery and emotional turmoil she has been put through, she also had to contend with early menopause at the age of 49."

In 2008 the NHS changed its method of preparing smear slides to use 'liquid based cytology'. Despite the changes Mrs Lewis added: "These reviews are ultimately still subject to human error and are reliant on the abnormal cells being detected."