NHS Tayside re-opens breast cancer helpline after Health Secretary intervention

NHS Tayside says it will re-open a helpline for women with breast cancer - two days after the Health Secretary called for it to be reinstated on Scotland's Talk In on Tay 2.

The decision means women will have another two weeks to come forward with any questions over the health board's use of lower dosages of chemotherapy.

The line will be available from 8am on Tuesday April 16.

It emerged earlier this month that oncologists had treated 300 women with breast cancer with a lower dose of drugs than in the rest of Scotland without their knowledge, between December 2016 and March 2019, in an attempt to reduce side effects.

14 of those women have since died, and the health board says it will investigate the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Health chiefs pulled the helpline which was set up in the aftermath of the information coming to light just seven days after it opened.

Speaking on Scotland's Talk In on Sunday, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: "If that helpline has been closed after only one week, then I will ask for it to be reopened.

"People need time to process - you don't have immediate questions necessarily.

"You might have immediate questions you get answered and then a few days later, something else comes into your head, and you want that answered, too.

"I can only imagine how I would feel, so that helpline and the ability to answer the questions should be there for as long as people have questions that need answered."

A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said, “We have received a number of concerns about the availability of an information line for breast cancer patients affected by the Healthcare Improvement Scotland report, which was published on April 1.

“This line was set up immediately after the report was published to advise callers about the situation relating to breast cancer chemotherapy treatment in NHS Tayside.

“It was also informing them that they would be offered an appointment with an oncologist to discuss their personal treatment as it is recognised that chemotherapy regimes are very patient-specific.

“We can confirm that we have now been in contact with all patients affected to offer them an appointment with an oncologist, and all but 13 of those who want to take up the offer of an appointment have already been booked in to a clinic. We have written again to those 13 patients and are awaiting their response.

“However, we have taken on board the fact that some patients may have taken a period of time to read the report and consider its implications for them and their families.

“That is why we have arranged for the NHS Inform information line to be reinstated. This will be available from noon on Tuesday, 16 April 2019 until Tuesday, 30 April 2019. The number is the same as before: 08000 858 531 and it is open from 8am to 10pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday.

“Patients can also still contact the NHS Tayside Complaints and Feedback team on 0800 027 5507.

“We understand that this remains a distressing time for patients and their families and we would like to apologise again."