New cervical screening helpline opens after over 200 women given incorrect results

Health Minister Simon Harris announced the service would be available from Saturday morning.

A new helpline has been set up following the recent announcement that a number of patients were given incorrect test results at the time of the Cervical Cancer tests. The HSE released figures on Friday 27 April stating that in 206 cervical cancer cases, the delay in the cancer being detected following smear tests suggested that these women missed out on earlier intervention. It was then announced that the Cervical Check team could not confirm whether these women involved had actually been informed. The senior HSE medical team has since been sent into Cervical Check to make sure that all patients have been informed of the results of any review of their screening history. Additionally, a helpline number was set up for launching at 9am on Saturday morning for anyone who wished to call in, but was faced with an immediate glitch when those who rang heard an automated message telling them that the helpline was only open from Monday to Friday. This was soon fixed - anyone wishing to contact the helpline can ring now at 1800 45 45 55 - but Health Minister Simon Harris took to Twitter to express his apologies for the glitch: https://twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD/status/990152686271127553 https://twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD/status/990159922523451392