Royal Glamorgan Hospital missed woman's tumour for a year

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-27810476

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A woman has been awarded £2,500 after she was diagnosed with a stroke which turned out to be a brain tumour.

The 45-year-old was first admitted to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, near Llantrisant, in 2009 and opportunities were missed for over a year to diagnose the cancer.

The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales said the woman should have seen a neurologist or had a MRI scan earlier.

Cwm Taf University Health Board has apologised.

The ombudsman found failings in how her case was managed and two failed referrals could not be explained.

Her multiple admissions to hospital should have led to the tumour being picked up much sooner, the report said.

An earlier diagnosis would also have provided the patient, known as Mrs C, with greater certainty about her condition. It would also have relieved her symptoms and eased her distress.

There was an "assumption" she had been referred and was waiting to be seen and "worryingly" instead she was sent for a mental health review as it was believed she was having a psychosomatic problem and this was distressing for her.

A spokeswoman for Cwm Taf University Health Board said lessons had been learnt.

"We have put in place a new system for monitoring referrals between clinicians and we continue to participate in the development of electronic systems for making referrals and requests as part of the all-Wales clinical portal development," she said.