"Will there be a review into how communications were handled?"

Wednesday 09 August 2023

None of the roughly 170 rheumatology patients wrongly prescribed strong drugs will know for definite until they receive a letter inviting them for an appointment later this month.

Despite announcing to the public last week that around half of the island's rheumatology patients had fallen victim to the error involving 'biologics', which are powerful drugs which suppress the immune system and can increase infection susceptibility, the Health Department did not contact individual patients in advance.

After several patients complained to Express of feeling "left in the dark", Health confirmed that letters "in the process of being sent" rheumatology patients about the audit.

Some of those letters landed on patients' doorsteps yesterday and today – but the communication failed to inform the recipient whether they were in the group that did not meet the criteria for biologic therapy or not.

Instead, the first communication patients will receive to inform them that they are in this group will be in an "appointment letter" due to be sent at some point this month, Government officials said.

Pictured: The letter received by rheumatology patients today did not inform them whether or not they are in the group whose records showed they did not meet the accepted criteria for starting biologic therapy.

They said that patients whose records did not meet the accepted criteria for starting biologic therapy and those where there was insufficient evidence in the patient’s case notes to confirm the accuracy of their diagnosis would be treated as a "priority".

One rheumatology patient told Express of her disgust at the fact that the Government had informed the media and staff members of the preliminary findings of the review before patients themselves.

She described feeling "frightened" and voiced concerns that other patients "may have stopped taking their biologics in fear".

The patient also criticised the recent letter sent from HCS for having "no personalisation to those with or without biologics".

"It’s basically the press release!" she added.

"Will there be a review into how communications about the review were handled when colleagues and the media were told before the people concerned?" the patient asked.

Similar criticism arose last year when the results of a PFAS blood test study were shared with and reported on by the media in advance of participants being told. The Chief Minister was forced to apologise for the "distressing" communications blunder after an official complaint was made.

Pictured: Rheumatology patients have described feeling "left in the dark".

Health Minister Karen Wilson said last week that it was "too early" to establish whether any rheumatology patients had suffered harm as a result of "inappropriate" prescribing.

She also said that the problems uncovered may be symptomatic of other "serious" issues in Health.

It was also revealed that the two doctors at the centre of the review were ‘no longer undertaking clinical work’ – but Government officials declined to confirm whether they were still officially employed or not.

Health’s Interim Chief Officer, Chris Bown, said that the notes of all patients seen by these two doctors – including both rheumatology and non-rheumatology patients – would also be reviewed.

Yesterday, the Government added that appointments were being made for patients whose notes were audited with the new head rheumatologist, Dr Sofia Tosounidou.