Thousands of women given ‘all-clear’ after NHS smear test may be at risk of cancer – urgent safety review after two deaths
Two women have died from cervical cancer after wrongly being given the all-clear following an NHS smear test, prompting a major safety review.
Eight others have now been diagnosed with the disease because abnormalities were missed in their smears.
A further 11 slides from women were found to show precancerous changes in the cells when they were assessed and required treatment.
Southern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland has written to more than 17,000 patients in total to inform them that their smear tests are being rechecked.
The Trust has apologized and admitted that the failures occurred some thirteen years ago but were not controlled by managers.
But campaigner Stella McLoughlin said what had happened was ‘inexcusable’ and called for a public inquiry.
“This has been an absolute scandal from start to finish and has been allowed to continue for ten years,” she told the newspaper BBC.
‘Smear tests are misread, people are not held to account, screeners are not managed properly – all of this impacts real people.’
Two women have died from cervical cancer after being wrongly given the all-clear following an NHS smear test, prompting a major safety review
The two deceased women have been named as Lynsey Courtney and Erin Harbinson, although no other details have been made public so far.
The study re-checked the cervical screening results of 17,425 women who were screened between 2008 and 2021.
The move was in response to an independent report from the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPATH) which found ‘persistent underperformance’ in the work of some screeners – laboratory technicians who interpret tests and provide results.
Of the four staff members investigated, one has been suspended, while practice conditions have been imposed on a second by the regulatory body, the Council for the Healthcare Professions.
In an interview with BBC News NI, the Southern Trust said it recognized this had been a difficult time for all families and the anxiety the process had caused.
Medical director Dr Steve Austin said the Trust had “learned lessons” and “improvements have been made across the system”.
One of the women involved in the scandal, named only as Susan, has revealed the devastation of getting the wrong smear test.
She says her “world came crashing down” when, at the age of 42, she was told she had cancer and needed a hysterectomy.
Currently in Britain, women aged 25 to 49 are invited for cervical cancer screening by their GP every three years, but uptake has fallen over time.
Symptoms of cervical cancer to look out for include unusual vaginal bleeding, pain during sex, and pain in the lower back or pelvis
The surgery caused menopause, which was “terrible” and “affected me.” physically, mentally and emotionally,” she said.
While Susan was recovering, she was contacted by the Trust and asked to attend for a case assessment.
What followed was “totally shocking and devastating,” she said.
‘They told me they had missed not just one smear test, but three in ten years.’
She told the BBC: ‘You’re putting your trust in the medical profession, the people who have to analyze these smears. You put your trust in it and someone didn’t do their job properly.’
Currently in the UK, women aged between 25 and 49 are invited for cervical cancer screening by their GP every three years.
Those aged 50 to 64 can get one every five years.
Last month it was revealed that use in England has fallen to a record low, with a third of women now shying away from the check which could spot the first signs of cervical cancer.
Data from NHS Digital today showed that only 68.7 per cent of women aged 25 to 64 in England came forward for cervical cancer screening last year, a 10-year low.
This is the lowest figure in a decade and means around five million eligible women in England have missed out on the cheque.
