Your contributions will help us continue to deliver the stories that are important to you
Friday 4 December 2020
O’Brien had been the head of the health service since July 2013.
HSE Director General Tony O’Brien has stepped down this evening.
Emma Mhic Mhathúna is one of the women caught up in the CervicalCheck scandal, and has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
“It is a stain on all our doors, it is a stain on all of us,” Labour’s Alan Kelly told his Dáil colleagues today.
Tony O’Brien, Director General of the HSE, has said “anyone who is found to have failed in their duty” will be held to account.
Vicky Phelan, whose cervical cancer is now terminal, has called for Tony O’Brien to go.
A UK expert will lead the inquiry into the CervicalCheck controversy.
The HSE has returned 2,686 calls to over 7,678 people.
The number of women affected by the smear test scandal has increased from 208 to 209.
Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin have called on Tony O’Brien to resign.
The woman was recently told that her smear test had been reviewed and a different action could have been taken.
Vicky Phelan received incorrect smear test results in 2011. She was subsequently diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014.
The issue dominated large chunks of Leaders’ Questions today.
The Irish Cancer Society has said its helpline has been inundated with calls from women, some of whom are “extremely distressed”.
The accuracy of HPV testing is significantly higher than liquid based cytology testing, which is the testing used now, and is expected to result in fewer women receiving a false negative result.
This question was not definitively answered at today’s Oireachtas committee.
Legal proceedings against the HSE or laboratories involved in smear tests have commenced in 6 of those cases.
The Taoiseach said the government still do not know all the facts surrounding the CervicalCheck scandal.
“When there’s cancer in the house, the children are always worrying if everything is okay.”
HSE chief Tony O’Brien said he couldn’t guarantee that cancer treatment for some women wasn’t compromised because of the controversy.
What are the obligations to tell a patient when a mistake has been made in their healthcare?
17 women whose cases were reviewed as part of an audit into the scheme have died.
Just 19% of people trust the service, according to a poll carried out by Claire Byrne Live.
The HSE earlier today confirmed that 17 women whose cases were reviewed as part of an audit into the CervicalCheck controversy have died.
Vicky Phelan received incorrect smear test results in 2011. She was subsequently diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014.
Controversy has engulfed CervicalCheck in recent days.
Earlier the HSE apologised after a helpline for concerned people was down due to a technical glitch.
Health Minister Simon Harris said that a helpline would open from 9am tomorrow to answer women’s questions.
The screening programme said that it had received a slight increase in calls after the Vicky Phelan High Court case settlement.
MedLab Pathology, based in Sandyford, has been awarded 50 per cent of the contract for the CervicalCheck programme and will also work with the State’s BowelScreen programme.
RESTAURANTS AND GASTROPUBS are allowed to reopen across the country from today.
Ireland entered Level 3 restrictions earlier this week after spending six weeks at Level 5.
Non-essential shops and services have reopened, cultural institutions like cinemas and museums are back open and from today, you can once again dine in a restaurant.
So, today we want to know: Do you plan on going to a restaurant/gastropub this weekend?
Poll Results:
Share your story: voices@thejournal.ie
Some sun, then clouds, showers around
Max: 6 °C
Min: 5 °C
Clouds and sun with a couple of showers
Max: 7 °C
Min: 1 °C
Mainly cloudy and chilly
Max: 5 °C
Min: -1 °C
