There are two issues here - one we knew about, but the second one is a new development.
A backlog of smear tests to be screened arose due to the offer of free repeat cervical screening last year by the Government, in the wake of the CervicalCheck crisis.
This issue was reported at the time and details have been available on the Health Service Executive CervicalCheck website.
Due to the backlog, a small number of the overall samples had expired before they had been transferred to slides for testing. Repeat testing was required in about 1,000 cases.
The HSE said women and their GPs were contacted about this.
Up to the start of the CervicalCheck crisis, smear testing was done in about two to four weeks. But it’s now taking about 22 weeks due to the surge. Samples for testing are no longer expiring as they are transferred to slides.
The offer of free repeat testing ended on 31 December.
The second issue is new and it involves Human Pappillomavirus testing of slides by the US laboratory Quest.
These slides were chosen for HPV testing as they had low grade abnormalities.
There is a time limit in which to do the test. Essentially the tests were being done outside of the time limit. As a result, these tests will have to be repeated and that means informing women.
This testing is called "secondary" Human Pappillomavirus testing, not primary HPV testing. Primary HPV testing comes in later this year for all samples.
This second problem apparently came to light in November when notified by Quest, and the HSE and Quest have been evaluating the issue and validating the numbers.
It means that 6,000 women will now be offered retesting - a cause of anxiety and worry.
They have yet to be written to.
The HSE believes there is a very low risk that their results were inaccurate and says that it is a precautionary recall of patients.
The CervicalCheck system did not need this new problem at this time and it will raise fresh concerns about communication with women and confidence in the service.
All concerns need to be allayed quickly and with facts by the HSE and the Minister for Health.
