'Ladies with Letters' welcome inquiry motion

THE Ladies with Letters Group has welcomed moves in the Assembly calling for a Statutory Public Inquiry on to the cervical screening scandal and the publication of three reports intothed debacle.

Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have taken a motion to Stormont to demand an inquiry into the Cervical Screening scandal.

Just over two years have passed since 17,500 women in the Southern Health & Social Care Trust (SHSCT) area received letters advising them that their cervical screening results (smear tests) were being reviewed.

The letters were issued following a report by the Royal College of Pathologists (RCP), which uncovered serious failings in cervical screening carried out by the SHSCT over a 13-year period.

Bringing the motion, Alliance Party MLA Nuala McAllister said, “Women’s lives were put at risk and more than two years on now, the Health Minister still owes them answers”.

The scandal denied ladies the opportunity for early detection and treatment of cervical cancer, a largely preventable disease.

Ladies with Letters, a collective of women directly impacted by the cervical screening review, came together to campaign for transparency and demand accountability.

They expressed their gratitude for the motion. Retired Nurse, Heather Thompson (rom Tandragee) said, “We are very grateful to the Alliance Party for bringing this motion and to all the MLAs who support our call for a Statutory Public Inquiry, which is the only way to get the answers we need - who allowed this debacle to happen, how such shocking failings were allowed to continue for 13 years with no scrutiny and ultimately who is going to take accountability for this mess.”

She continued, “Two ladies that we know of to date, Lyndsey Courtney and Erin Harbinson have lost their lives due to misread smear tests. Other women have had to have hysterectomies and invasive procedures.

“Our call has never been stronger for a Statutory Public Inquiry. This will ensure that all those involved are brought back to explain their part in what happened and more importantly place the victims at its heart and allow them to have their say.”

Tracey Bell added, “As always we want to encourage women to continue to have their routine screening tests and if they have any concerns between tests to make sure they go back to their doctor. Going forward, our hope is for a safe, well monitored, efficient and effective screening programme so that what has happened never occurs again.”

“Ladies with Letters call on the Health Minister for Northern Ireland to make the correct decision. The Minister has already publicly committed to a Women’s Health Strategy, what better way to demonstrate this commitment than to initiate a Statutory Public Inquiry into an issue which could have far reaching and devastating implications for women all across the province.

“It is our understanding that the Health Minister will publish the long awaited reports into the scandal this week and when we have had time to analyse the reports and support women in the aftermath, we will make a full statement.”