More than 4,200 are waiting for callback from cancer helpline
MORE than 4,200 women who phoned the Cervical Check helpline are still waiting for a callback, it emerged yesterday.
The HSE yesterday defended the slow response, saying it did not want the callback to be a cosmetic exercise.
The helpline continues to be busy, with 320 calls yesterday.
Meanwhile, eight women or their next of kin who were the subject of internal Cervical Check reports after developing cervical cancer are still unaware of the review.
As of yesterday just 201 of the 209 cases, including the next of kin of women who had died after getting an incorrect smear result, were contacted.
Speaking at the Oireachtas Health Committee yesterday, Dean Sullivan, of the HSE, said: “I understand it has not been possible to contact the remaining eight people and their families to date, as some women are not in the country – because they are travelling or living abroad or are uncontactable.
“All 201 women or their families have been offered a meeting at the earliest opportunity with their doctor at a time that is suitable and convenient to them.”
He said that the callbacks take a period of time where a woman has a history of referral for colposcopy treatment or a history of cancer.
“We we are providing a clinical consultation with a clinical staff member with expertise in colposcopy or cancer treatment.
“Return calls to women have been made throughout the weekend and will continue through this week, with support from staff in health facilities around the country,” he added.
He confirmed that the National Cancer Registry Ireland is working with the CervicalCheck programme to hand over the names of women who were diagnosed with cancer in the past decade who were not previously known to the service.
“We expect to conclude this data reconciliation process over the coming days.
“The establishment of an expert international review panel, led by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the British Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology will review the results of screening tests of all women.”
Mr Sullivan said this was aimed at providing independent clinical assurance to all women about the timing of their diagnosis and any issues relating to treatment and outcome.
“The clinical advice is that women who have had normal test results in the past can continue to participate in the cervical screening programme according to their normal schedule.
“We are working to provide information to women across a range of channels to assist those whose query can be answered without the need for them to call the CervicalCheck information line.”