The BBC reports this morning on 11th December 2024 that eight women “developed cancer” following smear test misreading after a major review into cervical screening in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. They also report that a further 11 women’s slides were found to have pre-cancerous changes cells when reviewed (BBC News NI).
This major review was triggered when the diagnosis of cancer of three women were investigated as Serious Adverse Incidents. Two of these women have since died.
We note the concerns of the women and families who have been impacted by the Southern Trust’s Cervical Recall and the recent major review into cervical screening. We take this opportunity once again to offer our support to those people including “Ladies with Letters”. We also offer our sincere condolence to the families have lost loved ones.
This morning’s report from the BBC report follows the announcement in October 2023, that 17,500 women who underwent cervical screening under the care of the Southern Health and Social Care Trust were recalled. The Southern Trust has already made a public apology and has admitted that “failings” have taken place, however, O’Reilly Stewart are extremely concerned by this morning’s report from the BBC.
O’Reilly Stewart has previously backed calls for a Statutory Public Inquiry into the cervical recall and we take this opportunity to reiterate our support for this. We are particularly concerned by the findings from the major review into cervical screenings at the Southern Trust and we argue that the clear “failings” should be properly investigated by way of a Statutory Public Inquiry.
O’Reilly Stewart has an experienced team of solicitors who specialise in Clinical Negligence and Public Inquiry work. Please contact a member of the team if you or a family member have been affected by any of the issues discussed above.
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