A major review of cervical screening in Northern Ireland, which was set to begin this week, has been postponed. Over 17,000 women in the Southern Trust area will have their smear tests re-checked as part of a review dating back to 2008.
The Belfast Trust, responsible for reviewing the slides, has had its cervical cytology service accreditation suspended. The trust plans to appeal this decision and has informed the Public Health Agency (PHA).
The PHA will continue to monitor and quality review all aspects of the trust's work. The reasons for suspending the accreditation are not yet clear, but concerns may relate to the performance of screeners at the Belfast Health Trust Laboratory.