Follow up CervicalCheck appointment delays worrying
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has called delays to follow up CervicalCheck appointments as extremely worrying.
This comes as media reports detailing 1,500 women have had issues getting colposcopy appointments following initial CervicalCheck examinations.
Deputy Kelly said:
“It is quite concerning that over 50% of the clinics that carry out colposcopies are missing their targets of when to carry out exams.
“If women need to get follow up from their initial CervicalCheck smear, they will want to be seen as soon as possible for peace of mind.
“This kind of pressure on the colposcopy clinics is unfair on staff who are trying to do their best and unfair on women who are missing out on vital medical appointments.
“It is not acceptable that such high volumes of women in Cork and Limerick in particular are missing out on appointments because of the waiting lists in colposcopy clinics.
“Minister Harris and the HSE must outline now what steps they are taking to ease the pressure in these vital clinics to give peace of mind to patients and staff.”