Two patients given inaccurate test results have died after a hospital failed to diagnose cancer in three other patients.
Two patients given inaccurate test results have died after a hospital failed to diagnose cancer in three other people, it has emerged.
But Wrexham Maelor Hospital said it was confident the treatment the two people were given would not have been different had the tests been accurate.
But Wrexham Maelor Hospital said it was confident the treatment the two people were given would not have been different had the tests been accurate.
The deaths were discovered when the hospital started rescreening tests after the errors emerged in September.
The deaths were discovered when the hospital started rescreening tests after the errors emerged in September.
The trust said two people died, but the cause of death has not been revealed.
Officials confirmed two deaths, but their cause has not been revealed.
It has also emerged that the pathologist who failed to diagnose cancer in three patients was not accredited to perform some of the tests he carried out.
The North East Wales NHS Trust had announced on Wednesday that errors had been identified within a "limited number" of diagnostic test reports issued by the hospital's histopathology department.
The pathologist, Dr Roger Williams, a former medical director of the trust, was said to be "extremely distressed" by what has happened.
The errors related to tissue samples "reported on" by pathologist Roger Williams during April 2006 to September 2007.
We have made a careful review of each of the two cases and it is clear that these other considerations led the clinical teams to the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment was not delayed North East Wales NHS Trust
In a statement on Thursday, the trust said: "As a result of the 10% sampling exercise we have identified 12 patients whose test results were incorrectly reported.
"On reviewing these cases we have identified that two of the patients have since died.
'Appropriate treatment'
"In both cases the histology samples in question were part of a wider diagnostic process that included consideration of the clinical symptoms and examination, the results of scans and X-rays, visual examination using endoscopy and other procedures and blood sampling.
"We have made a careful review of each of the two cases and it is clear that these other considerations led the clinical teams to the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment was not delayed."
It has also emerged that Dr Williams was not accredited to perform some of the tests he carried out.
Trust chair Mary Burrows said Dr Williams, a former medical director of the trust, was accredited for only some of the tests.
Dr Roger Williams has apologised to patients affected
Ms Burrows told BBC Radio Wales she had asked for accrediation schemes to be examined.
On Dr Williams, she said: "I know he was accredited for some things such as cytology but, for example, breast, he wasn't."
The tests involve a range of illnesses and not just cancer, the trust has said.
Wales' deputy chief medical officer Mike Harmer said the assembly government was reviewing pathologists' accreditation across Wales.
"That was a problem that we discovered that the pathologist involved was not accredited for some of the work that he was doing, so we're currently reviewing that situation ensuring that that's rectified throughout Wales," said Prof Harmer.
Weekend
Two hundred patients have contacted a helpline launched on Wednesday. Of those cases, 72 are being reviewed.
Ms Burrows said extra staff will work over the weekend reviewing the 4,500 cases involved.
The hospital is looking at test results between April 2006 and September 2007 and at another sample of tests going back as far as October 2004.
If the sample error rate was above that recommended by the Royal College of Pathologists, Ms Burrows said they would also review all the tests from the earlier period, potentially of another 5,000 patients.
She urged anyone who is worried to contact the hospital's helpline on 01978 726155.
Dr Williams had been working as a locum at the hospital following his retirement from the post of trust medical director three years ago.
Dr Williams had been working as a locum at the hospital following his retirement from the post of trust medical director three years ago.
He was described as "very well respected" by officials, who said he stood down as locum shortly after the problems came to light last September.
He was described as "very well respected" by officials. He stood down as locum shortly after the problems came to light last September.
Dr Williams told the Daily Post newspaper he was "deeply sorry for what has happened and for any harm that may have been caused to patients".
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