Carl Chegwin was getting within the vacation spirit by watching the film The Santa Clause on Christmas Eve when he says he obtained a textual content message from his U.Ok. physician’s workplace diagnosing him with “aggressive lung cancer.”

He sat there in shock till he was in a position to present the message to his mother, who additionally acquired the identical textual content from an “NHS-NoReply” quantity. National Health Service England (NHS) affords basic practitioner providers at Chegwin and his mom’s physician’s workplace — the Askern Medical Practice in Doncaster.

Askern Medical Practice in Doncaster, England, mistakenly despatched Christmas Eve textual content messages to sufferers saying that they had lung most cancers.

Carl Chegwin

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Carl Chegwin

Askern Medical Practice in Doncaster, England, mistakenly despatched Christmas Eve textual content messages to sufferers saying that they had lung most cancers.

Carl Chegwin

After realizing he wasn’t the one one to obtain the message he started to query the textual content, questioning if it was “some sort of sick joke.”

About 20 minutes later, the “NHS-NoReply” quantity messaged: “Please accept our sincere apologies for the previous text message sent. This has been sent in error. Our message to you should have read We wish you a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

Chegwin stated he had by no means acquired a message from Askern Medical Practice wishing him a merry Christmas in his roughly 30 years as a affected person.

“To me, that apology, it’s not even an apology,” he stated. “It’s kind of an arrogant, nonchalant, handwaving.”

A spokesperson from NHS England refused to take any questions associated to the incident and redirected NPR to NHS’s e mail. Askern Medical Practice was not out there for fast remark.

The preliminary message falsely diagnosing sufferers with terminal lung most cancers requested them to fill out a DS1500 form, which permits folks with terminal ailments to assert sure advantages.

While neither Chegwin nor his mom had been anticipating a take a look at consequence for most cancers, others who received the same message had been. It will not be clear how many individuals the textual content messages had been despatched to.

Chegwin stated he wouldn’t be returning to the apply after this incident.

“That kind of thing breaks people and drives people to despair,” he stated.

Chegwin stated he has not acquired additional communication from the apply for the reason that Dec. 24 textual content messages.