“Nothing that I or anyone else says can change the situation you find yourselves in. But I hope that the genuine and heartfelt apology I offer today will bring in your you and your family some small measure of solace.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has apologised in the Dáil to a mother of four who is terminally ill with cancer following what was described as a “negligent” reading of her smear test.
Patricia Carrick from Galway had gone for her scheduled smear test in May 2016. However, the smear test was not read accurately and in fact, Martin said was read in a manner that was “negligent and in breach of duty.”
In July 2019, Patricia received a call in work to inform her it was likely she had cancer and subsequent scans and treatments determined in September 2020 that her cancer was terminal.
“It didn’t have to be this way,” Martin told the Dáil.
“In May 2016, Trish went for her scheduled smear test, a procedure that she always took very seriously and never missed.
“If there had been an accurate reading of this sample, Trish’s cancer would have been identified in good time, the appropriate treatment would have been given and the chances are that she and [her husband] Damien would now be reflecting together on a worrying time in their lives, but with the illness well behind them.
“But there wasn’t an accurate reading. Instead the HSE and Medlab Pathology Ltd have now acknowledged that the sample of 31st of May 2016 was read in a manner that was negligent and in breach of duty.
“The cancer was missed. The cancer spread. The cancer is now terminal.”
Earlier this month, the HSE and Medlab Pathology Ltd apologised to Patricia and her family as they settled their High Court action which had said her smear test was misdiagnosed or misreported.
Patricia was not in the court for the apology as she was in hospital, too ill to attend.
“Last Friday, I spoke to Damien by phone and I apologised,” Martin said.
“On that call, he said that Trish, he and the family would appreciate it if I would apologise in public and under record of this house.
“I’d absolutely no hesitation from doing so. Trish is going through a very challenging time in her illness at the moment.
“Damien told me that he wanted to be with her today to listen into the Dáil and I hope that they’ve been able to manage that. I hope that they are together listening now when I say that on behalf of the government and on behalf of the nation I offer my genuine and heartfelt apologies to Trish, to Damien, to their son Ciarán, to their daughters Ríoghna and Sorcha and to Eoin.
“You have been failed.”
He added: “Trish was badly let down and your family is going through the very worst of times because of the mistakes of others. Despite this, Trish and you have carried yourselves with great dignity.
“Nothing that I or anyone else says can change the situation you find yourselves in. But I hope that the genuine and heartfelt apology I offer today will bring in your you and your family some small measure of solace.”
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