A fresh study reveals that the state’s healthcare system has improved due to the advocacy effort of women and families embroiled in the CervicalCheck scandal. However, the traumatised women express a continuing distrust towards the health system. The advocacy organisation, 221+ group, was formed in the wake of revelations that numerous women with cervical cancer were not informed of their incorrect smear test results showing they were healthy. For years, they were kept in the dark about their revised test outcomes.
The scandal surfaced when Vicky Phelan, a cervical cancer patient, won a legal battle against an American lab. This lab was outsourced by Ireland’s national cervical screening programme, CervicalCheck, to evaluate the tests. The group released novel investigation results on Tuesday, conducted by the University of Limerick. These results show that the advocacy from the group and its members has significantly enhanced Ireland’s healthcare system.
According to this investigation, patient representatives engaging in the betterment of healthcare information and communication have generally improved patient outcomes. Dr Elaine Kinsella, an associate professor of psychology at UL and the project lead, highlighted the importance of peer support in counteracting negative emotional experiences.
Despite these findings, Lyn Fenton, a member of the 221+ group, stated there’s an ongoing issue of distrust and trauma among the women involved in this controversy. She pointed out that a feeling of collective healing exists within the group, however, she argued that this shouldn’t be a pre-requisite for healing. She cited the women’s trauma emerging from their misplaced trust in the medical system and how this has left them feeling isolated and distrustful.
Ceara Martyn, who heads the patient advocacy group 221+, said that it is vital for patients’ voices to be heard throughout all aspects of health policy and service progression. She noted that the government had given its commitment to this, implementing a structure that acknowledges and values the contributions of patient representatives.
Ms Martyn advocated for the prompt conclusion of the current consultation process, suggesting that either reimbursement of expenses or compensation for patient representatives should come into effect. This, Martyn believes, would help acknowledge their invaluable work and promote increased participation.
As the Northern Irish public health doctor, Dr Gabriel Scally, who wrote a report on the issues at hand pointed out, considerable time and effort have been needed to rectify the substantial failures within the establishment, strategizing and running of the CervicalCheck. According to him, there are still a few remaining changes that need to be enforced, which is where an independent organisation like 221+ fulfils an important role, bringing a unique perspective to guarantee the best possible standard for Ireland’s cervical screening programme.
Ms Martyn also highlighted the importance of trust in the health system, stressing that any breach of trust could have lasting effects on a patient’s health. The difficulty of regaining trust once it’s lost, she argued, can negatively affect how readily patients return for treatment.