CervicalCheck review and patient advocates
Micheál Martin raised distress over Lorraine Walsh’s resignation after the RCOG review briefing and urged stronger engagement from the Taoiseach. The Taoiseach praised Walsh’s work, pointed to the newly published RCOG report, and said the committee should hear directly from RCOG and the patient advocacy service.
I ask all Members to focus on the programme for Government and promised legislation.
Comment on this
Watching last night's "Prime Time" programme, the interview which Ms Lorraine Walsh gave was, as Deputy Kelly noted on Leaders' Questions, quite distressing. It was in the context of yesterday's briefing of the 221+ group on the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, RCOG, review. It was particularly distressing that Lorraine Walsh felt she needed to resign as a patient representative. The Taoiseach needs to do more than just thanking Lorraine Walsh for her work. She and Stephen Teap were exceptional patient advocates and representatives on that group, but their input was not always appreciated and they had a sense of that. From my discussions and understanding, it reveals the need, to which the Government is committed, to introduce legislation to create a proper framework and supports for patient advocacy and representation. Lorraine Walsh and Stephen Teap were often on their own, facing huge challenges. Those in authority, particularly the Department, seem to not always have appreciated that. It did not work as we would have thought it would in light of all that has been said in this House about the primacy of the patient and the patient representative. There is a huge legislative vacuum in respect of this matter.
Comment on this
As I mentioned earlier, Lorraine Walsh did phenomenal work on the CervicalCheck steering committee. I have met her many times, as has the Minister. I am sure he would be happy to meet her again and speak to her on any concerns she has. Ms Walsh resigned from the committee on 31 October. The RCOG report was published only yesterday.
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It was only completed in the past couple of days. I ask that people read the report-----
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-----and allow RCOG to come before the Joint Committee on Health, which it has offered to do. The best people to explain the report, which is essentially a clinical audit-----
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-----are the individuals from the RCOG who compiled it. We established a patient advocacy service in the past couple of months. Such a service had not previously existed.
Comment on this
The Taoiseach should speak to Lorraine Walsh and Stephen Teap again. They will tell him some home truths.