Member's statement: Smear Tests: Misreadings
Member's statement by Ms Sinéad McLaughlin on .
- MLA
- Ms Sinéad McLaughlin
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 29 April 2024
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Smear Tests: Misreadings
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4485803
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I rise to speak on behalf of many women in the Western Health and Social Care Trust area and across Northern Ireland who are deeply concerned about the reports of smear tests that have been misread and which have led to devastating consequences for women. One woman came to my office and said, "It is very hard to live with the knowledge that I didn't get cancer. I was given cancer". That is how she feels. Her smear tests were misread in 2011, 2014 and 2017. In 2021, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had to undergo a hysterectomy. Since 2017, we know that at least 12 serious adverse incidents have been registered in our trust area. It was really important that the Southern Trust undertook the previous review, and I know that any woman who hears of a review will be, understandably, really scared, as will the men and the families in their lives. It is not my intention to stir up fear today, and I want to be really clear that it is in women's interests to come forward and that these tests are absolutely vital to detect the early signs of cervical cancer and then to prevent the disease. I will continue to urge women to do so. It is vital that women come forward for their smear tests; it can literally save your life to do so. However, let us be honest. To ensure that as many women as possible do come forward, we need to make sure that every woman has the confidence in the health service in the first place. We need to ensure that these concerns are dealt with and that the Minister of Health and the chief executives of all the trusts can reassure the public on this issue. Trust and confidence are absolutely crucial, and, in the meantime, I encourage other women who might have been affected to come forward and share their stories. I have asked the Minister of Health whether he will start a public inquiry into cervical cancer screening, and I look forward to working with the Minister and, indeed, his successor and colleagues from across the Chamber to ensure that women have confidence in these services.
370 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.04 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.94).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.94 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.04 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.53 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.43 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.04 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:02 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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