Fresh calls for public inquiry into cervical cancer screening across Northern Ireland

There have been fresh calls for a public inquiry into cervical cancer screening across Northern Ireland.

Earlier this week, UTV brought you the story of a woman from Co Armagh, who has advanced-stage cervical cancer - who revealed how three of her smear tests over almost a decade were all misread. Now, more women have contacted UTV from the Western Trust area saying they developed cancer after screeners failed to pick up abnormalities.

One cancer survivor told UTV: "Thank God I was able to get treatment, but there are women who have passed that stage and they can't.

"I suppose I spent a while very angry and very upset. This could have been avoided. I spoke to ladies that have gone from Stage 1A up to Stage 3, Stage 4 and terminal, there's loads of women dying over this."

Another lady in the Western Trust area told UTV abnormalities were missed twice before her cancer was detected three years later.

She said: "I was totally devastated, I couldn't believe it. I just felt totally let down, I just couldn't believe that this had happened.

"I had to have a hysterecomy in 2017 on the back of it. I can't belive that it has come to this, same story same situation. That we have all gone through something that we really should not have had to go through."

In a statement, the Western Trust said: “Last year it reported almost 20,500 samples as part of the Northern Ireland Cervical Screening Programme and it has full confidence in its screening programme and procedures.

"The public should be reassured that quality control and quality assurance systems are in place in the Trust and we undergo both formal quality assurance visits and data visits by the Public Health Agency to ensure the Trust is meeting the standards set - which we are.

“It is essential that women keep coming forward for their cervical smear test when invited to do so. This will continue to save lives.”

It comes after a mother of four from Co Armagh, who has advanced-stage cervical cancer, revealed how three of her smear tests over almost a decade were all misread - giving 'normal' results.

Erin Harbinson, from Tandragee, was diagnosed in 2021, but was only told those vital health checks were incorrect just ahead of the announcement of a review into 17,500 women’s smears in the Southern Trust.

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has apologised "for failures in the care provided to this lady".

It said Erin's case helped lead the establishment of reviews and urged anyone with concerns to get in touch.

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