Brits could be wrongly diagnosed with diabetes after NHS error | UK

More than 10,000 Britons may have been wrongly diagnosed with the silent killer after an NHS blood test error.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has revealed it has recently experienced an “intermittent problem” with one of its blood testing machines.

The machine performs HbA1c blood tests and checks for diabetes at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital.

The agency says the issue may have caused confusion in blood samples, which “may have led to some patients receiving HbA1c results that were potentially higher than actual.”

Around 11,000 patients in South Bedfordshire are at risk of being affected and the facility is contacting them.

A spokesperson said: “You may receive a call from the hospital in the coming weeks asking you to come back for another blood sample for a retest. Please be assured that we will contact you if your result may have been affected.

“We are asking residents to avoid calling the hospital or their GP to ask if they need to be retested, as we need to focus our efforts on arranging retests with patients who need them.

“Please do not attend for a repeat HbA1c test unless you have been contacted directly by the hospital, either by phone or by post. If you have received a letter, please ensure you have the blood request form that was provided to you. If you attend and do not require a test, you will be turned away.”

The facility also apologized to patients for the mix-up: “We sincerely apologize for any emotional distress and inconvenience caused by this issue.”

“We are undertaking a detailed review to find out what went wrong and identify lessons to be learned.”

Type 2 diabetes is a common disease that causes blood sugar (glucose) levels to rise too high. It is caused by problems with a chemical in the body (hormone) called insulin.

It is often linked to being overweight, inactive or having a family history of type 2 diabetes. It is a long-term condition that can affect your daily life.

It can cause symptoms such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, and fatigue. Many people have no symptoms, but it can increase the risk of serious problems with the eyes, feet, heart, and nerves.