MLAs back Ladies with Letters call for public inquiry into Southern Health Trust cervical screening review

This week marks two years since 17,500 women received letters advising them that their smear tests were being reviewed.

Two years after a Northern Ireland health trust initiated a review of cervical screening involving approximately 17,500 women over 13 years, MLAs have given their backing to calls for public inquiry into the scandal.

Elected representatives stood with the Ladies with Letters campaign group at Stormont on Tuesday to support the group’s call for a statutory public inquiry.

This week marks two years since 17,500 women in the Southern Health & Social Care Trust (SHSCT) area received letters advising them that their smear tests were being reviewed. The letters were issued following a report by the Royal College of Pathologists, which uncovered serious failings in cervical screening carried out by the SHSCT over a 13-year period.

READ MORE: Ladies with Letters call for public inquiry into Southern Health Trust cervical screening reviewREAD MORE: Co Down mum’s distress after being removed from smear test review despite cancer symptoms

The major review into more than 17,000 women’s smear tests in the area found that eight women went on to develop cancer after their smears were misread. Another 11 women needed pre-cancerous treatment after their tests were reviewed.

The cervical screening programme looks for changes in cells which, without treatment, could develop into cancer. Test slides spanning from January 1, 2008, and October 2021 were reviewed and some women recalled for a repeat smear. The purpose of the review was to look again for abnormalities to double check that the correct information was provided.

Ever since those involved received letters advising them that their smear tests may have been read incorrectly, a group of women, known as Ladies with Letters, have been tirelessly searching for answers as to what went wrong and how a long litany of failures was allowed to continue.

Yet, despite their efforts, they say they are still no further forward in having these concerns properly addressed. To date, it has cost two young mothers their lives, Erin Harbinson from Tandragee and Lynsey Courtney from Portadown.

The group has published an open letter to the Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, respectfully urging him to establish an inquiry to uncover the truth and reform the system.

Mr Nesbitt has previously said shortcomings detailed in cervical screening in the Southern Health Trust area are “deeply regrettable and unacceptable”. He said the review would be the subject of independent expert analysis after which he would decide on the next steps.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Tracey Bell from Banbridge said: “Beyond these cases that we are aware of so far, we are fearful about the ramifications for women’s health in the future. We believe this scandal represents one of the most significant healthcare failures to occur in Northern Ireland in decades.

“What’s worse is that ladies diagnosed with cervical cancer prior to 2019 will not even have been told if their smear test was read incorrectly – women would have to proactively seek out that information themselves and that has not been widely publicised.”

Tracey added: “Tests were sent to other labs to be reviewed to see if they had been read correctly, even a lab which had its accreditation suspended at the time. We now know that recent data released after intervention by the Information Commissioner reveals that underperformance in cervical screening was identified across all four cervical screening laboratories in Northern Ireland, with screeners failing to meet target detection rates for abnormalities, so results from the review are far from reassuring. It is our view that this public health scandal remains a grave and unfolding concern.”

Heather Thompson, a retired nurse from Tandragee, said: “The Health Minister for Northern Ireland has publicly committed to a Women’s Health Strategy. What better way to demonstrate that commitment than by establishing a statutory public inquiry into these failings?

“We believe that a full and thorough investigation is essential to uncover the truth and reform the system, so that no woman will face such uncertainty again and to try to restore some faith in the cervical screening programme.”

The UK’s leading gynaecological cancer charity, The Eve Appeal, supports the call for more information and transparency around this issue. Athena Lamnisos, CEO said: “Cervical cancer is the only cancer with an effective screening programme (to detect high risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which causes nearly all cervical cancers and, if this is present on cervical screening tests, any precancerous cells), offering us the opportunity to prevent cancer development or to detect it at the very earliest stage.

“It’s shocking that the quality assurance and other systems within screening, let women down in Northern Ireland – and over such a long period of time. As a charity, we fully support transparency and accountability across healthcare. This is a patient group who need answers.

“Undoubtedly, more may develop this disease in the years to come. We look forward to the Northern Ireland Minister’s response on this issue in the coming weeks.”

Responding, Mike Nesbitt said from the outset of the Cervical Cytology Review, he has given the matter his “full attention and concern”, and has “listened intently to those that have been affected”.

Mr Nesbitt said he is “committed to understanding the circumstances and events which led to the precautionary review of cervical cytology in the Southern Trust”. He also confirmed that “significant changes” have already been made to the cervical screening programme, including HPV testing (human papilloma virus).

The Ladies with Letters group is also asking members of the public who are empathetic to the cause and who share its concerns to visit ladieswithletters.co.uk and help strengthen the call for accountability by writing to their elected representatives using the template letter available on the website.

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