‘Where is the accountability?’ Family of grandmother whose cancer was missed speak of their devastation

The family of a beloved grandmother-of-10, whose cancer diagnosis was delayed by years due to failings at a private healthcare provider, have spoken of their devastation that no-one will be held accountable for her death.

Margaret Jones died in August last year, after learning she had lung cancer in December 2023, which had by then spread to her brain and bones.

A CT scan at GenesisCare in Portsmouth in February 2019 revealed cause for concern in her right lung – but this vital information was never passed on, and alongside an NHS chest X-ray in 2022 which also missed her tumour, caused years of delays in Margaret’s cancer being found.

Margaret, a mother of three and grandmother of 10 from Fareham, suffered greatly in the later stages of her cancer, losing her mobility and experiencing devastating pain and side effects. She died aged 76, leaving her family distraught.

Medical evidence supports the fact that had Margaret’s cancer been identified at that time, it would most probably have been treatable and she would still be here today.

GenesisCare apologised for the breakdown in communication in passing on Margaret’s scans, and claimed it had taken steps to improve its internal processes.

However, Margaret’s family have said they are “heartbroken, angry and frustrated” that no one is being held accountable for the breakdown in their mother’s care. The family have tried escalating their concerns to the General Medical Council (GMC), but no action has been taken.

They have successfully pursued a legal claim against GenesisCare, in what they describe as “the only way we could get them to listen to us."

“Our mum was failed, essentially she was killed by what happened and the fact that medical professionals did not do their jobs properly – but no one is being held accountable. While these people are making life and death decisions, there is no accountability when things go wrong, and that feels so unfair,” says Margaret’s daughter, Sarah.

“The failings in our mum’s care were catastrophic and have devastated our family. How can she have had multiple scans which, despite concerns being raised at the time, was then not passed on - and no one takes responsibility? We have tried to raise this, with GenesisCare and even with the GMC, but no one wants to know.

“We never want this to happen to another family, it was Mum’s only wish once she found out that her cancer had been missed that no one else should have to suffer as we have. But if no one is accountable, and there are no consequences, then we cannot truly believe that things will change.”

“I think when you pay for your care, as our mum did, you do expect things to be better – but we definitely didn’t see that here,” says Karen, Margaret’s other daughter.

“We have deep concerns around what happened here, in a profit making organisation, where Mum paid for her treatment and private medical cover. Where was the care that Mum deserved?”

Margaret’s family have said that, despite their grief, they are committed to ensuring people know their rights in requesting their medical records and copies of scans, so they can give their own scrutiny to what they have been told.

“We have found the last two years absolutely devastating, since we lost Mum, we’ve had to fight for answers as to what happened and that is so hard. Just when you think you’re coping, all of a sudden you have to look at Mum’s scans, or discuss what happened again – it has been a really difficult period, with some really traumatic times,” says Sarah.

“But what was so important to Mum was that this could not happen again. She would want people to be aware of their rights – if you have any doubts or concerns, request your medical records, ask to be copied into communications about your health. Then if a breakdown in communication does happen again, which we fear it may, you will be able to pick up on it.

“You really shouldn’t have to do this if people are doing their jobs properly, and Mum put her whole trust in medical professionals and would never have thought anything like this could happen - but we have seen for ourselves that it can, and the consequences have devastated us all. We no longer have Mum, who was everything to us, and that is the worst possible reality. We are absolutely lost without her.”

Margaret’s family turned to Slater and Gordon for support in pursuing answers from GenesisCare, with clinical negligence specialist Nicole Jackson securing their settlement.

“The failings we have seen here from GenesisCare have had the worst possible consequences, and have left Margaret’s family devastated. The fact that crucial, potentially life-saving information was not passed on is truly dreadful, and Margaret deserved much better. If this simple process had been followed, it is most likely that Margaret would still be with her loving family today,” says Nicole.