Beds and Herts patients to be re-tested in diabetes results error

An NHS belief has revealed that about 11,000 folks should be re-tested after a hospital machine issued incorrect diabetes outcomes.

The Bedfordshire NHS Basis Belief mentioned some sufferers could have been wrongly given larger blood glucose readings from a laboratory on the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

A message on the trust website instructed sufferers may have been misdiagnosed with the situation consequently.

The belief has apologised “for any emotional misery and inconvenience”.

The belief mentioned there had been an “intermittent situation” with a machine that analyses blood, with checks taken on sure dates in April and July.

The issue associated to some HbA1C checks analysed on the hospital’s laboratory, and sufferers from throughout Luton, south Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire can be contacted, it mentioned.

The process is named the hemoglobin A1C check (HbA1c) which measures common blood sugar ranges.

Diabetes UK mentioned it’s used to diagnose and monitor the situation.

For folks susceptible to growing sort 2 diabetes, their goal HbA1c stage ought to be under 42mmol/mol (6%), based on the charity.

John Hagen, 70, a retired photographer from Kensworth in Bedfordshire, was one of many individuals who acquired a letter from the belief asking him to get re-tested.

Already a diabetes affected person, Mr Hagen’s GP elevated his medicine after outcomes got here again which have been “by the roof”.

“I then received a letter saying the outcomes have been a false constructive,” he mentioned.

“My GP can be re-running the check however we’ve agreed to not amend my medicine downwards.

“I fear about issues when there’s one thing to fret about. I acknowledge that errors occur and in a pressurised atmosphere just like the NHS it might typically take some time to understand one thing is mistaken,” Mr Hagen added.

Cathy Jones, chief working officer at Bedfordshire hospitals mentioned: “When you have not heard from us then please don’t contact the hospital or your GP to ask whether or not you have to be re-tested whereas we focus our efforts on arranging this with the sufferers who want them.

“I sincerely apologise for any emotional misery and inconvenience that has been brought on by this situation.

“We can be enterprise a evaluate to search out out what went mistaken and establish any studying.”

Ms Jones confirmed that no different blood checks have been affected by the problem.

“As a precautionary measure we’re now not analysing HbA1c outcomes at our Luton lab,” she mentioned.

“Sufferers ought to proceed to attend any blood check appointments as regular.”