Thirteen patients who were tested for bowel cancer at Wexford General Hospital were incorrectly given the all-clear for the disease, it has emerged.

According to a report by the HSE, all of the patients had undergone colonoscopies - an examination of the interior lining of the bowel - at the hospital in 2013 and 2014.

All had been treated by the same consultant. That doctor has been on leave since 2015.

Concerns were originally raised in 2014 when two patients who had been given the all-clear after recently undergoing a colonoscopy, were found to have bowel cancer.

This led to a recall of 615 patients who had attended Wexford General. Of these, 401 required repeat colonoscopies.

"In total, 13 cancers were detected, including the two cases that prompted the recall and the case of a deceased gentleman who died before the lookback commenced," the HSE said.

The report refers to these 13 cancers as ‘probable missed'.

The patients affected were undergoing colonoscopies as part of the national bowel cancer screening programme, BowelScreen.

"We deeply regret this incident. Since notification of the first cancer case, our priority at all times has been to conduct a thorough and immediate review. Our first action was to identify, recall and treat all patients who may have been affected.

"We have worked with BowelScreen to strengthen governance procedures around this incident and shared our learnings, with a view to ensuring that this never happens again," commented consultant surgeon and clinical lead at Wexford General, Mr Ken Mealy.

The HSE report insisted that the ‘look-back is now complete'.

"All patients who required recall have been offered follow-up appointments and in the majority of cases, accepted clinical follow-up," it said.

Meanwhile, BowelScreen emphsised that since this incident, it has reviewed its quality assurance indicators to insure that all healthcare professionals and units delivering colonoscopy services on its behalf ‘are doing so at the highest possible standard'.

The HSE report can be viewed here