Newsreader receives breast cancer screening letter for wife weeks after she died from disease

The TV host said the invitations "fall on deaf ears to those who’ve already died”

(Getty Images/iStock) (Sky UK)

A Sky News presenter has revealed that his late wife was sent a letter inviting her to attend a breast cancer screening, weeks after she died from the disease.

Colin Brazier shared the letter addressed to his late wife, Jo, who died aged 55 on 6 July, on Twitter. Jo Brazier was married to the newsreader for 20 years.

Alongside an image of the letter inviting Jo for a screening on 14 September, Brazier wrote: “I know the NHS is the closest thing we have to a state religion etc, but invitations to breast screening fall on deaf ears to those who’ve already died of breast cancer.”

Upon hearing the news, dozens of Twitter users expressed their condolence with many calling the letter “insensitive”, “disgraceful” and “heartbreaking”.

However, the presenter later tweeted to say that the letter was “a minor irritation” and called for a “sense of perspective”.

“No no guys. Not heart-breaking, utterly or otherwise. Sense of perspective please. A minor irritation,” he wrote.

“Certainly don’t want to be a recreational offence-taker. That way madness. Mistakes occur in all monolithic institutions. It’s just something that needs noting when it happens.”

Hampshire Hospitals later apologised on Twitter and said that it would investigate the incident.

“We are very sorry for the distress this letter must have caused” it said.

“Please be assured we take this very seriously. We will investigate this and look for any lessons that can be learned.”

Speaking to The Independent, Donna Green, chief nurse and deputy chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, added: “We are very sorry for the distress this must have caused. We have apologised to Mr Brazier and assured him that we will investigate the situation.”

Anne Mackie, Director of Screening at Public Health England also said: “We are very sorry that this upsetting incident has occurred and shouldn’t have happened.

“We take every care to ensure that records for women invited for screening are accurate and up to date and will look into what happened in this case.”

According to the NHS, around one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.

In a bid to detect tumours early, when they are easier to treat, the NHS invites women who are aged between 50 and 70 years old for breast cancer screening every three years.

Women with a higher than average risk of developing breast cancer may be offered screening and genetic testing for the condition. The NHS is in the process of extending the programme as a trial, offering screening to some women aged 47 to 73.

If you are worried about breast cancer symptoms, such as a lump or area of thickened tissue in a breast, or you notice that your breasts look or feel different from what’s normal for you, don’t wait to be offered a screening – see your GP.