Calls for Scally to review cancer plan
CALLS have been made for Dr Gabriel Scally to review a new system to be brought in this week to deal with women with potential cervical cancer symptoms.
The change will see women with a ‘suspicious cervix’, intermenstrual bleeding, or postcoital bleeding referred on to gynecology clinics as opposed to colposcopy clinics.
The screening service has said this change will help cope with the increase in clinical referrals over the last number of years and future increases as the recent change to HPV testing, which has proven to have better outcomes for women, will increase referrals by 40% in the next two to five years. The service said: ‘Because
one-third of all referrals are now due to clinical reasons, it has become difficult for clinics to fulfil the programme standards and see all women referred within the recommended eight-week time frame.’
The changes will see increased funding to gynaecological clinics in hospitals to deal with these referrals and a ‘monitoring and audit’ programme of this new system should also be put in place.
However, Dr Illona Duffy and members of the 221+ group have raised questions about how this system will benefit women.
The GP told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘I’m not happy at all. We’ve been told extra money will be given to local hospitals to manage increased referrals but it’s hard to believe this will work.
‘The gynaecological waiting lists were too long before Covid – over 18 months – and are even longer now. Vague platitudes about improved access mean nothing without actual proof.’
Dr Duffy said extra funding would be better spent on further investment in colposcopy clinics or setting up rapid-access gynaecological clinics alongside the colposcopy clinics.
Patient advocate Lorraine Walsh also has questions over the move.
She said: ‘What will happen now is GPs will be referring people into this gynae area and from there they will be triaged on to colposcopy or to a gynaecologist, so it’s an extra level.
‘I can’t see how this will improve wait times or improve services for women. They have also said now that there will be localised procedures and policies for each of these clinics in relation to referral.
‘So the triaging and the wait times will be all different as per the policy locally.
‘I think that’s crazy – different policies as opposed to a national policy.’
She added: ‘I think Dr Gabriel Scally needs to do a full review now of colposcopy and gynae services in this country, and the whole process around and to identify what will solve these problems and ensure that women will be seen in the correct timeframe and will be referred appropriately, so that we will actually have the full process fit for purpose.’
‘Vague platitudes mean nothing without proof’