Helping the women who were wrongly given the all-clear following breast screening tests remains the priority for health chiefs, but they have pledged to find out how the mistakes happened.

Five women who were initially given the all-clear were later discovered to have cancerous lesions when further tests were carried out after a mistake was spotted.

In Tynwald today (Tuesday), Health Minister David Ashford said the problem related to screening tests carried out by one radiologist who was no longer working at Noble’s Hospital.

Mr Ashford said in his emergency statement: ‘In September 2017, it became apparent that some women who had attended assessments in the breast clinic between January 2015 and March 2017 may not have had all the necessary investigations.’

A total of 1,213 cases were subsequently re-examined and, from those, 26 women were found to require further examination. The 26 were being recalled for reassessment.

‘As of last night, 11 of those women have now attended the clinic and had assessments undertaken,’ said Mr Ashford. ‘Further clinics are due to take place.’

Letters of reassurance have been sent out to the other women affected.

The minister reiterated the concern centred on the work of one radiologist and not all women seen during that timeframe would have been affected.

The Isle of Man Examiner has learned that five women have now had it confirmed they had cancerous lesions.

Mr Ashford said his department was doing everything possible to ease the distress the mistakes had caused.

‘There will be a full investigation into the cause of this issue to establish why practice within one of our services at Noble’s Hospital fell short of the high standards we should all expect,’ he added.

‘The department’s first priority must be to respond to the needs of all those affected by the review and ensure they receive the care that they should have been able to expect from the start.

‘Anything else is at this stage of secondary importance.’

The minister said it was still vital that women continued to take part in breast screening.