Podcasts

Cervical cancer survivors hit out at HSE over expert panel review

It's still not known how more than 1000 cancer sufferers will receive the results of an independent audit of their cervical smears. The HSE is being criticised by survivors over what they say is a lack of communication around delays to the review. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in London was commissioned to carry out the audit in May 2018. However the logistical operation of gathering patient consent and collecting the individual slides from up to 16 labs meant RCOG only began reviewing the smear tests in February. Personalised individual reports are due to be disclosed from September but the means of delivering that information to the women has not been established. This podcast is an extended version of the report broadcast on today's Pat Kenny Show. Lorraine Walsh, board member of the 221+ patient advocacy group, lifts the lid on the life-changing effects of cervical cancer and how women are suffering in silence. The long term impacts include lymphedema (a painful condition which results after lymph nodes are removed as part of cancer treatment) and couples being prevented from ever having a sex life again, as a result of internal radiation or part removal of the cervix. We hear the experiences of anxious women awaiting their RCOG audit results - while lab manager at the National Maternity Hospital, Marie Culliton, explains the RCOG review process and whether it will tell us if the cancers could have been prevented. see more