An elderly woman’s cancer diagnosis was delayed at a hospital in North Yorkshire after staff mistakenly scanned the wrong patient who shared the same first name. Pamela Honeybone required a CT scan following a fall at NHS Scarborough Hospital, but another patient with a similar name underwent the scan by error, leading to confusion in interpreting the results. The coroner, Catherine Cundy, highlighted six concerns regarding the handling of the woman’s treatment and the hospital’s investigation into the incident.
Cundy issued a report to the Trust to prevent future occurrences of such errors. Although Mrs. Honeybone’s death was due to a natural disease, the delayed diagnosis caused by the scanning mistake could not be definitively linked to her passing on October 19, 2024. Mrs. Honeybone’s health deteriorated as the wrong patient received the initial scan, and a subsequent CT scan on October 15 revealed an abdominal mass indicative of lymphoma, prompting a transition to end-of-life care.
The coroner pinpointed six critical issues related to the incident that pose a risk to patient safety. The Trust has been instructed to respond by November 19 to address the concerns raised by the coroner. In a statement, a representative from York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust extended condolences to Mrs. Honeybone’s family and acknowledged the need for further action following the inquest. The Trust is committed to implementing necessary measures to enhance patient safety and learn from this unfortunate incident.
