HPV cervical screening: Derry MLA welcomes enhanced service in Northern Ireland

HPV causes 99.7% of cervical cancers and Ms McLaughlin has been campaigning for the change in testing to be brought in alongside others in the north west.

The full introduction of primary HPV testing, which is more sensitive than cytology-based screening, was first announced in October and is being rolled out across the north from this month.

The Department of Health described the move as heralding ‘a new era for the cervical screening in Northern Ireland’, which will also help address the current backlog for reporting smear test results.

The Foyle MLA said: “This crucial step represents long-awaited progress and the care that has been denied to so many women who have been totally failed by the healthcare system. It will undoubtedly save lives and is a major milestone in our fight against cervical cancer.

“I have lost count of the number of women who have told me directly of the impact of delays when it comes to cervical screening. In recent months truly disturbing stories about the recall of smear tests and long waits for diagnosis have provoked understandable worry and anxiety among many women. I hope today’s news will mark the end of those delays and the removal of a barrier to earlier intervention which can prove decisive in treating the disease.

“Gynaecological health is one of the key issues facing women, including the many who responded to my recent survey on their experience of healthcare to provide personal and often heart-wrenching testimonies. Those stories often focused on long delays in diagnosis and interminable waits for treatment that characterise a system that is simply not working for many women who face hurdles to accessing the care that they are entitled to.

Ms McLaughlin said that the fact that women have been forced to wait this long ‘for our health service to catch up’ was yet another example of why a funded Women's Health Strategy was needed ‘to deal with all the barriers women face when accessing healthcare’.

"Unfortunately, this issue is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the challenges women experience and if a new Executive is restored, I will be urging the next Health Minister to act on this important issue,” she said.