NHS Trust apologises for sending breast screening letter to TV presenter’s late wife

A hospital trust has apologised after the wife of a Sky News presenter was sent a letter inviting her to a breast cancer screening weeks after she died from the disease.

Colin Brazier shared on Twitter a letter addressed to his late wife, Jo, sent by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

Mrs Brazier, married to the newsreader for 20 years, died aged 55 on July 6.

Alongside an image of the letter inviting Mrs Brazier for a screening on September 14, he 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”.

Dozens of Twitter users expressed sympathy with him, with some commenting that the blunder was “heartbreaking”.

Brazier, 50, later tweeted to say that the letter was “a minor irritation” while calling for a “sense of perspective”.

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

He added: “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 to Brazier on Twitter and said it would investigate.

“We are very sorry for the distress this letter must have caused,” a tweet read.

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

Brazier was urged to contact the trust with further contact details.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust has been approached for comment.

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