The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has written to the Government urging it to prioritise improvements to NHS imaging services as part of the health sector's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The letter highlights findings from the Ombudsman's report, Unlocking Solutions in Imaging published today. The report shows recurrent failings in the way X-rays and scans are reported on and followed up across NHS services.

PHSO’s casework shows the devastating impact these failings have had on patients and their families. In several cases, signs of cancer in X-rays and scans were not reported, which led to delayed diagnoses and poorer outcomes for the patients.

In one case, an 18-month delay in diagnosing pancreatic cancer meant a patient (...)