Faulty equipment caused cervical treatment delays

Tuesday 02 April 2019

Recent delays for women receiving treatment for abnormal cervical screening test results were down to a problem with a piece of equipment, according to HSC.

24 women were affected by the delays and the Committee for Health and Social Care has carried out an investigation, now confirming that 18 of those women have since been booked in for treatment, while the other six remain on the waiting list.

There are thought to be no ongoing problems with the equipment and no further delays are anticipated.

HSC now runs a free cervical screening programme that detects High-Risk Human Papillomavirus. Any samples found to contain HR-HPV will be then be tested for abnormal cells.

"Women who are found to have abnormal cells are then referred to the MSG for colposcopy," said Director of Public Health, Dr Nicola Brink. "A colposcopy is a simple procedure used to look at the cervix and confirms whether cells in the cervix are abnormal and determines whether the woman needs treatment to remove them.

"Treatment for these abnormal cells is done at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital and unfortunately the equipment used for this needed to be replaced as it was not functioning properly."

Pictured: The equipment at the hospital was faulty and needed to be replaced.

Dr Brink said; "It is important to note that the presence of abnormal cells does not necessarily mean a cancer diagnosis, but theses are women who are needing treatment for possible pre-cancerous lesions.

"Only a small proportion of these women would go on to develop cancer without treatment.

"It is also important to consider the local situation. We have about four cases of cancer of the cervix every year in the Bailiwick and most of these are advanced cancer in women who have not undergone cervical screening. It is exceptionally rare for an untreatable cancer to develop in a women who has received regular screening."

HSC has apologised to the affected women.