Cervical screening delays appalling

Green MP Sue Kedgley today said she is dismayed that the evaluation of the national cervical screening programme has been delayed for a further 18 months.

"Delaying its evaluation for a further 18 months calls into question the efficacy, value and purpose of the entire national cervical screening programme," said Ms Kedgley.

"What is the purpose of women having regular smears if they have no confidence in the screening programme and no idea, at the end of the day, if their smears have been accurately read or not?

"The Ministry's foot dragging is putting the health of thousands of New Zealand women at risk, and the Ministry should be held to account for its failure to act."

Ms Kedgley said there were huge question marks surrounding the cervical screening programme and, until the evaluation is complete, women can have no confidence in it.

Ms Kedgley said she was deeply concerned at the lack of resources being allocated to the follow-up to the Gisborne inquiry.

"The lack of timely follow-up action calls into question the purpose of holding such an public and expensive inquiry in the first place."