THE failures surrounding the misdiagnosis of 61 women with breast cancer beggars belief.

According to a damning independent report, consultant radiologist Dr Glenn Anthony Kelly failed to follow national guidelines during the vast majority of the screenings he undertook.

Dr Kelly relied on biopsies guided by two-dimensional x-rays, rather than the more accurate and up-to-date ultrasound technique, because he wasn’t trained adequately.

In one of his appraisals, as far back as 2005, he even reported this fact, but still no training was given.

And despite his staff knowing he wasn’t sticking to the guidelines, they were ‘inhibited in complaining’ because of a lack of openness in the department.

Furthermore, senior bosses did not monitor the work of the breast cancer screening unit closely enough.

Instead, Dr Kelly was left ‘as the person responsible for implementing robust clinical policies’.

The errors made in failing to spot this potentially fatal disease can never be allowed to happened again.

Sadly, they have already had terrible consequences for all the women affected and their families.

Now the trust has to take a long, hard look at all the recommendations made by this inquiry and ensure they are implemented.

All East Lancashire women deserve to be confident they will receive a five-star treatment.