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Over 1,800 scans reviewed after private contract suspended

A review is underway of ultrasound scans for around 1,800 patients following concerns about the “quality and safety” of work carried out by two sonographers employed by the independent provider, Bestcare Diagnostics.

The scans were taken by two sonographers employed by the company, while it held an “any qualified provider” contract for non-obstetric ultrasound scans with Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group. The contract began in April 2017.

This CCG suspended the contract in September 2018 over what the CCG said were “quality issues”. In early 2019, however, new information was revealed and as a result, the CCG began a review of all 1,800 patients seen by the pair, who worked for the company between April and August 2018.

To date, scans for these patients have been reviewed and, wherever possible, the patients were contacted. A second stage of the review will now look at whether any harm was caused to the patients.

Full story in the HSJ, 20 February 2020

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