A support group, set up by women in response to receiving letters of smear test irregularities from the Southern Trust, say they are disappointed by the final report.
The Ladies with Letters support group was set up in October 2023 by a group of women directly impacted.
Heather Thompson and Tracey Bell have been speaking out on behalf of the group.
Tracey said: “This report has been long awaited and whilst we haven’t had the time to study its findings thoroughly – which of course we will be doing in the coming days and weeks – our initial reaction is one of disappointment.”
Ladies with Letters are deeply concerned with the contents of the report, but moreover, they state that the report has not dealt with some serious issues.
Tracey added: “Questions that we have asked repeatedly over the past year have still not been answered – questions such as how was this allowed to happen? Why was it allowed to continue for a shocking 13 years? and who is going to take responsibility? Accountability is key!”
Heather added: “The report is a high level analysis of cervical screening in the Southern Trust generally, which provides little to no scrutiny of what specific errors were made, why they were made and, vitally, why they were missed for a prolonged period of time.
She added: “At the outset, it is important to note that the review was conducted by the Southern Trust and Public Health Agency which we say is akin to those agencies ‘marking their own homework’.
“While we welcome the acknowledgement that the issues extend beyond the errors of individual screeners and that there were in fact systemic failures – we do not accept the thrust of the report which seeks to minimise the reality of the situation for women and their families.
“In our opinion, despite the rosy picture painted in this report, we are no further forward toward establishing the truth of what happened and the women in our group are having their confidence in the screening programme shattered, even more so now that performance concerns have been raised about the Belfast Trust.
“Moreover, ladies who were in the Southern Trust Cervical Review and had their tests sent out to another laboratory to be checked, in some instances to the Belfast Trust, will have concerns that their test may have been read incorrectly for a second time.
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“Ladies with Letters have long held the view that an independent Statutory Public Inquiry is the only avenue for properly scrutinising these systemic failures. We consider that a rigorous investigation, which results in effective change, is not possible if the investigation is conducted by those responsible for the failures!”
Tracey added: “It is also not possible to fully understand and analyse the true impact of these failures without placing those who have suffered most at the centre of any investigation. It is notable that despite the many self justifying statistics quoted in the report, there is little or no reflection on the impact that these failures have had on the victims and their families.
“The impact on those within our group is significant and ever evolving. Some members have had misread smears, others have not but have lost all confidence in the cervical screening programme, some have been diagnosed with cervical cancer and in the most serious cases women have died.
“This report offers little comfort or clarity to those women who are entitled to much more than the whitewashed version of events that is presented.
“There are lots of statistics presented and whilst the ladies affected might only be a ‘number’ to the Trust, to their friends and families, they are everything and very sadly there are empty seats at tables this Christmas as a result and our hearts go out to Lynsey Courtney’s and Erin Harbinson’s families.”
The Health Minister, only a number of weeks ago, indicated that he would review the findings of the report and Ladies with Letters has repeated their call for a Statutory Public Inquiry to be established without delay or qualification.
Heather said: “It is now more important than ever that there is a Statutory Public Inquiry into this issue. Ladies with Letters look forward to engaging with the Minister. This type of inquiry is the only way to try to restore public confidence and to ensure that women across Northern Ireland are NEVER subject to anything like this again and go for their smear tests with confidence.”
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