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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Ferghal Blaney

Dr Gabriel Scally pays touching tribute to Vicky Phelan as he gives update on CervicalCheck inquiry recommendations

Dr Gabriel Scally has paid a touching tribute to the late Vicky Phelan at the launch of his last progress report on the CervicalCheck controversy.

Ms Phelan blew the scandal wide open when she brought her case of mistaken diagnosis to the High Court in April 2018 and crucially refused to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement).

Ms Phelan sadly passed away after her long battle with cancer earlier this month.

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Her campaigning led directly to the launch of an inquiry into the CervicalCheck screening programme errors that saw more than 220 women receive false negative screening results.

These women all had cancer, but were mistakenly told they were clear.

Dr Scally said: “The recent death of Vicky has been a moment of national sadness, a sadness which I share.

“She was the first person I spoke with after my appointment to carry out the Scoping Inquiry.

“Vicky’s enormous courage, dignity and determination changed cervical screening in Ireland for the better.

“In addition, she pushed forward the whole arena of women’s health and highlighted the crucial issues of openness, truth and honesty in communication between health professionals and patients.

A digital artwork of Vicky Phelan is projected onto the GPO in Dublin to mark the release of a feature documentary about her life next week. 'Vicky' tells the story of how the Limerick woman revealed issues with Ireland's cervical screening programme CervicalCheck. It airs in cinemas on October 7. Picture date: Thursday September 29, 2022. (PA Wire/PA Images)

“I am, as are we all, in her debt.”

Dr Scally delivered his final progress report on the implementation of the recommendations of his inquiry which he first presented in 2018.

Dr Scally reported “substantial progress” but also found that there were areas where “improvements can be made.”

The clinical expert said that the “duty of candour” which he called for has not been acted on and he said that he regrets that victims of the scandal still feel they have to go to the courts for justice.

Dr Scally said that the testing at a lab in the US was good, but he called for a back-up system.

And he said that the new service being developed in the Coombe women’s hospital was welcome, but he also called for a back-up system to be put in place here too.

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