Weston, US – 18th December, 2019: The 67-year-old, who does not want to be named, received the sum for medical negligence after complaining of symptoms including diarrhoea and bleeding for several months.
She attended medical appointments with a GP and nurse practitioner, but was wrongly diagnosed with haemorrhoids.
She was later diagnosed with cancer of the anus in March 2015, and instructed lawyers to investigate concerns there was a delay in diagnosis.
The GP and nurse practitioner agreed a settlement through the Medical Protection Society.
They denied liability, but the GP admitted two breaches of care as they failed to perform thorough investigations during two appointments in January 2015.
However, they denied this led to the woman developing cancer.
Elise Burvill, medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: "This is a deeply disturbing case where our client felt like her concerns were not acted upon.
"The cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment has had a massive impact on her life, as she has considerable post-treatment symptoms which affect her every day."
The woman says her ordeal has been 'horrific' and is calling for change to avoid the same mistakes from being repeated.
She said: "I was worried about my symptoms for several months and the more they worsened the more worried I became.
"Nothing was stopping the bleeding and it got to the point where I had diarrhoea for months. I even faced the embarrassment of blood running down my leg while I was out at a restaurant.
"It was horrific. At that point I knew I needed to see someone else, and while I was relieved to have finally had a proper examination, it was devastating to be told I had cancer."
She added: "I realise I may have needed chemotherapy and radiotherapy regardless of when I was referred, but I feel like the delay may have impacted on the intensity of treatment I needed, the scarring I've suffered and the post-treatment symptoms I have gone through.
"Nothing will change what has happened sadly, so now I just hope the issues I've faced will not be repeated again."
Source: https://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/court/weston-super-mare-woman-calls-for-change-after-devastating-cancer-diagnosis-1-6429591