Debate contribution: Cervical Screening Review: SHSCT
Debate contribution by Mr Robin Swann on .
- MLA
- Mr Robin Swann
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 4 March 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Cervical Screening Review: SHSCT
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4254533
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for his question. The ongoing cervical cytology review in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust involves up to 17,500 women. It contains two elements: a review of the cervical screening slides held by the trust for women who have had a smear test; and a call forward inviting women to have a new cervical smear test where a previous slide is no longer held or is no longer suitable for review. As of 28 February, 2,564 slide reviews had been completed, and the trust has called forward 1,960 women to attend for a cervical smear test, of which 621 have attended to date. An additional 2,255 women with the overall review cohort have already attended for their next routine cervical smear test, which will remove the need for them to have their older slides reviewed, as their latest test will provide the most up-to-date and accurate assessment.
My Department continues to work closely with the Public Health Agency and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust to ensure that the review is progressed in a safe and timely manner. It is a complex review. Plans to increase the number of slides to be reviewed weekly are now well advanced, with the intention that the full review will be completed by early summer.
217 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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