Concerns being voiced by Co Kildare TD that women are not getting answers when ringing helpline to talk about smear test concerns

A Co Kildare TD is advising any woman in Kildare who is concerned about their smears to talk to their GP and call the helpline set up by the HSE.

Deputy Fiona O’Loughlin, TD for Kildare South has commended Vickey Phelan for using her voice to stand up for women across Ireland and highlighting the false results given.

She said:  “Some 6, 000 women have called the helpline since May 2 and many women I have spoken to in Kildare have said the helpline is not being answered, messages are not being picked up and cases where people were told they’d get a call back have not yet received a return call. I have been informed that additional clinical staff have now been provided to the helpline. However, the whole thing has been a shambles up to now."

She said:"Any woman concerned about past and future smears should talk to her GP or call the helpline set up. There is a new type of testing going to be introduced by the end of this year which will see the recommendations of HIQA being introduced. The HPV test, which is going to be introduced, is done on a sample of cells collected from the cervix. Women would experience no change in how the cervical screening sample is collected”.

Deputy O'Loughlin said: “CervicalCheck is prioritising those women who were part of the audit and have advised that all calls will be returned to those concerned women. It is essential that women still continue to have smear tests when called and for anyone concerned about their past smears, take up the free smear being provided."