A 75-year-old former NHS worker with five decades of service has spoken out about her harrowing cancer diagnosis after potential asbestos exposure during her hospital career.
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a type of asbestos-related cancer affecting the pleura (lining of the lung). It can be found in the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneal) or the lining around the heart (pericardial).
Other types of asbestos-related cancers and illnesses are disorders of the lungs caused by exposure to and inhalation of asbestos fibres.
The Hidden Danger in the Hospital Tunnels
A woman, who will remain anonymous, was recently diagnosed with mesothelioma following a sudden illness in May. Believing her exposure may have occurred while working at Westminster Hospital between 1985 and 1990.
During this time, she regularly walked through long, dirty, and dusty tunnels, consisting of a 10 to 15 minute walk, connecting the ultrasound and x-ray departments.
She recalls visible pipework overhead, noting, “I wouldn’t know what’s asbestos and what isn’t, but there definitely were pipes running along the ceiling.” While several of her previous colleagues have confirmed their recollections of the poor conditions of tunnels and the overhead pipes.
‘Bystander exposure’
This experience of ‘bystander exposure’ mirrors a growing number of cases involving healthcare workers who, despite not handling the material directly, were exposed in older NHS buildings where asbestos was widely used in construction between the 1950s and 1980s.
Research indicates that two-thirds of surveyed NHS buildings in parts of the UK still contain asbestos.
The former NHS worker noted, “It’s a bit of a coincidence that a doctor got it and I was there at the same time as him,” referencing an article detailing the death of a doctor exposed to asbestos while working at Westminster Hospital.
Delayed Diagnosis and the Failing ‘2-Week Rule’
The former health worker expressed intense frustration with her diagnostic process, believing crucial time was lost due to delays.
Following a sudden chest infection in May, she was repeatedly asked by doctors about asbestos exposure, but initially said no, as she was unaware of it, stating she hadn’t been exposed apart from working in NHS Hospitals.
The former NHS worker argues that if she had understood that this professional exposure was significant and “ticked that box,” her case would have been fast-tracked.
She recalls being told one appointment couldn’t happen until mid-September (around 5-6 weeks later). A delay she believes would have been fatal: “I actually said I’d be dead if you left me that long. Which I was right, I would have been.”
Furthermore, she feels her healthy appearance worked against her, surmising, “They all said to me, ‘You look so fit, you don’t look like you’ve got cancer,’ so I was put to the bottom of the list.”
Her delayed diagnosis reflects wider systemic failures, as the NHS targets a standard 2-week rule.
A Plea for Priority Care
After giving 50 years to the NHS, the former worker feels utterly let down. “I did 50 years for the NHS, worked my guts out and went to the ends of the earth for both my patients and my students, and this is the way I’ve been repaid.”
She now calls for an urgent overhaul of the system to prioritise patients diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases. “I think asbestos patients should be given priority,” she urges.
“The absolute minimum out of this is that you want Priority care and the 2-week rule to meet the 2-week rule.”
Fighting the System: Treatment Costs and the Quest for Justice
While she is now receiving “fantastic service” at a specialist centre funded by the NHS for two years of immunotherapy, a treatment costing around £100,000.
She states once the two years are completed, “I have to pay for it myself, or my compensation has to pay for it, if I survive that long.”
The former NHS worker remains clear-eyed about the devastating prognosis and the debt owed by the health service. “I didn’t understand how poor the prognosis was,” she said, acknowledging the fight ahead.
For her and others like her, the battle is not just against an aggressive cancer but against the system that failed to protect its own, only to compound that failure with life-threatening delays.
It is crucial to hold the NHS accountable and ensure that the suffering individuals receive the justice and financial compensation they deserve.
Frequently asked questions
What are Mesothelioma and asbestos-related illnesses?
Mesothelioma is a type of asbestos-related cancer affecting the pleura (lining of the lung), but can also be found in the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneal) or the lining around the heart (pericardial).
Other types of asbestos-related cancers and illnesses are disorders of the lungs caused by exposure to and inhalation of asbestos fibres.
These conditions usually develop over years or decades after asbestos exposure.
These conditions can also occur as a result of non–non-occupational, environmental exposure. Asbestos was extensively used in building materials, and a large amount of asbestos remains in buildings. If the asbestos is disturbed to allow fragments to be released into the air, it can create a potential hazard to health.
What are the Mesothelioma Symptoms?
Mesothelioma is usually fatal, and symptoms will rapidly deteriorate after a diagnosis is made. Symptoms can include:
- shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
- chest pain
- cough and wheeze.
- extreme tiredness
- unexplained weight loss
- abdominal pain and swelling (in the case of peritoneal mesothelioma).
Other types of asbestos-related cancers and illnesses can also cause similar symptoms to those of mesothelioma and can sometimes spread to other parts of the body.
I have just been diagnosed with an industrial disease, but I stopped working at the company a while ago. Can I still make a claim?
If you have only recently become aware of a problem and have only just noticed the issues, then your action should be taken in time for limitation purposes.
However, this is solely evidence-based for each action, so it is strongly recommended that you speak with a solicitor to take further advice.
Although several illnesses, such as occupational cancer, noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and asbestos-related illness latency periods of several decades, for other diseases, such as occupational asthma, repetitive strain injury (RSI) and vibration white finger, you would expect these symptoms to manifest at the time of (or very shortly after) exposure.
What is the duty of my employer to protect me from developing respiratory illness through work?
As well as the common law duty to ensure a safe place of work and a safe system of work, your employer will have duties set down by statute.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- Employers have a duty so far as is reasonably practicable to ensure the safety and welfare of their employees.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- Duty to undertake a reasonable risk assessment (Reg. 3)
- Requirement to undertake a health surveillance (Reg. 6)
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
- Ensure that suitable personal equipment is provided (Reg. 4)
- Ensure an assessment of any personal protective equipment is undertaken to determine whether it is suitable.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002
- Required to assess health risk where work is liable to expose employees to substances hazardous to health (Reg. 6)
- Ensure exposure to substances hazardous to health is either prevented, or where not reasonably practicable, adequately controlled (Reg. 7)
- Ensure any employee exposed to substances hazardous to health is monitored and under suitable health surveillance (Reg. 11)
How can I claim?
At Oakwood Solicitors, our Industrial Disease solicitors have a wealth of experience in dealing with occupational cancer and respiratory claims.
If you are suffering from mesothelioma or an asbestos-related illness, this may have been caused by your employer’s negligence regarding your safety, for which you may be able to receive compensation.
Further information:
Oakwood Solicitors: Mesothelioma Claims.
Doctor dies after being exposed to asbestos while working at the hospital.
WHAT TO DO NEXT:
If you have suffered as a result of a delayed Mesothelioma diagnosis due to asbestos exposure, get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation.
Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 323 2494 to find out how we can help you.
Liam Hill is a Solicitor and Deputy Head of the Industrial Disease Team, having trained and qualified at Oakwood Solicitors. Liam joined us in 2013 after successfully completing the Legal Practice C…
