A UK hospital accidentally sent patients a text message saying they have “aggressive lung cancer” instead of wishing them a “Merry Christmas” on Christmas eve, according to reports.
The text messages, which were sent on December 23, gave patients at a medical centre in Yorkshire, near Doncaster, a false diagnosis, BBC reported.
A father who was eagerly waiting for the results of a lung cancer test, which came back negative, was among the hundreds who got the message.
The text asked the patients to complete a DS-1500 form, which enables persons with terminal illnesses to apply for certain benefits and stated that the patients have “aggressive lung cancer with metastases.”
After an hour later, a follow-up text was sent by Askern Medical Practice apologising for the goof up saying, “Please accept our sincere apologies for the previous text message sent.”
“This has been sent in error. Our message to you should have read: We wish you a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. In case of emergency please contact NHS 111 [email protected],” the message read.
The patients were shocked to read the message and others tried to call the surgery but couldn’t get through as the lines were jammed.
“The first thing I thought was, ‘is this some kind of sick joke?’.It completely took me by surprise… It’s not often I go to the doctor, then out of the blue, it’s cancer. I’m sat there scratching my head thinking, ‘I do smoke, do they know something I don’t?'” Carl Chegwin, a patient reportedly said.
“They’ve just told people a few days before Christmas that they’ve got terminal lung cancer. They can’t do that,” he added.
According to The Independent, Chris Reed, a 58-year-old Norton property developer, claimed that his partner sobbed when he received the message. Mr. Reed claimed that he attempted to contact the surgery right away but was unsuccessful due to busy lines.
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