Write a comment
Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has called for a full public inquiry into the cervical cancer screening scandal involving the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. The Assembly considered a motion last Monday, 3 November highlighting the lack of transparency and delays in investigating the scandal by the Department of Health and the Trust.
Mr McNulty paid tribute to the Ladies with Letters campaign for their advocacy in bringing the issue to light, describing it as an "unacceptable violation of women's health and trust."
Mr McNulty said his heart went out to "all the patients and families harmed by this utter failing by our health service," adding that a public inquiry would be "the first step towards regaining the trust of those women who have had their faith in our healthcare system completely destroyed."
Cllr McNulty said the women affected had "suffered immense trauma, not only from the initial failures of cytology staff, but also as a result of a continued lack of trauma-informed practices that have impacted them and their families throughout the review, particularly those women who received serious adverse incident reports, and the families of Erin Harbinson and Lynsey Courtney, who tragically lost their lives as a result of this scandal."
The Newry and Armagh MLA said it was "shocking and sad that this failing happened in the first place, but then to have inflamed the issue through denial, delays, and distraction is inexcusable," adding that all women needed to have "total faith in the screening process and that can only be achieved through a public inquiry where all failings and learnings are identified and addressed and those impacted get the answers they deserve."
