Advertisement

Contact made with almost 200 women following Cervical Check audit

The Health Service Executive (HSE) says contact has been made with 196 women, or their families, ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

20.34 4 May 2018


Share this article


Contact made with almost 200 w...

Contact made with almost 200 women following Cervical Check audit

Newstalk
Newstalk

20.34 4 May 2018


Share this article


The Health Service Executive (HSE) says contact has been made with 196 women, or their families, whose cases were part of a Cervical Check audit.

An update from the HSE Serious Incident Management Team (SIMT) says they have been working to respond "to the failings revealed" by the audit.

Cervical Check carried out an audit of women who had been diagnosed with cervical cancer over the last 10 years.

Advertisement

The audit happened after their cancer was notified to Cervical Check, but not all of these women were told about the audit or - in some cases - the audit found their screening test could have provided a different result and recommended earlier follow-up.

In its first daily report, the SIMT says a total of 209 cases have been identified where the audit showed their test could have provided a different result.

The group adds that it has identified an additional woman that requires follow-up, bringing the total to 210.

Of these, 196 have now been contacted.

The HSE says: "Most women have at this stage been contacted and meetings either held or arranged to discuss the audit and the response.

"As some women are out of the country or not contactable, this record of contacts will be updated after Tuesday May 9th."

The HSE adds that it is working with the National Cancer Registry and the Department of Health to identify any other women who had cervical cancer during this time, who may also have had a Cervical Check test.

It says: "This week women in Ireland have been understandably worried following the failures in communication about this audit.

"An information line was provided to women from April 28th, and women were offered the facility to receive a call-back from a member of our clinical staff."

 

Source: HSE

The HSE has also published an advice sheet for those affected.

It comes as Sinn Féin says it will move a motion of no confidence in HSE boss Tony O'Brien in the Dáil next week, as the fallout from the Cervical Check scandal continues.

The party has repeatedly called for him to step down for his handling of the controversy - however he insists he knew nothing about the situation until he saw it on the news last week.

He only has a few months left on his contract and was due to step down in July.

While Fianna Fáil has been critical of Mr O'Brien, only one TD has publicly called for his resignation.

The Government, meanwhile, believes he can better serve an investigation into the scandal by staying in the role.

The Cervical Check helpline can be contacted on 1800-45-45-55

 


Share this article


Read more about

News

Most Popular