Taoiseach tells terminally ill woman 'you have been failed' in State apology over missed diagnosis

Patricia Carrick. The 51-year-old mother-of-four had sued after she discovered CervicalCheck misread a scan in 2016. Picture: Ciarán MacChoncarraige

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has apologised on behalf of the State to a woman whose cancer was missed by CervicalCheck.

He said Patricia Carrick, who is terminally ill, was "badly let down and your family is going through the very worst of times because of the mistakes of others."

"On behalf of the Government and on behalf of the nation, I offer my genuine and heartfelt apologies to Trish, to Damien and to their son Ciarán, to their daughters Ríoghna and Sorcha, and to Eoin.

“You have been failed.

Addressing the Dáil this afternoon, the Taoiseach said: “Two months ago, in September 2020, Trish and Damien were told that the cancer is terminal. It didn't have to be this way. In May 2016 Trish went for a scheduled smear test - a health procedure Trish 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 and the appropriate treatment given.” 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin telling the Dáil: “Trish was badly let down and your family is going to the very worst of times because of the mistakes of others.”

“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.

“The cancer was missed, the cancer spread and the cancer is now terminal.”

“Last Friday, I spoke to Damien and apologized.

“On that call, he said he, Trish and the family would appreciate it if I would apologise in public.

“I have absolutely no hesitation in doing so.

On behalf of the government and on behalf of the nation, I offer my genuine and heartfelt apologies to Trish, to Damien and to their son Ciarán, to their daughters Ríoghna and Sorcha, and to Eoin.

“You have been failed.

“Trish was badly let down and your family is going to the very worst of times because of the mistakes of others.”

The 51-year-old mother-of-four had sued after she discovered CervicalCheck misread a scan in 2016.

By the time her cancer was eventually diagnosed in July 2019, it was too late to do anything about it other than try and buy time with her husband Damien, and children Ciarán, 23, Ríoghna, 20, Sorcha, 17 and Eoin, 14.

Last month, she won an unprecedented apology and an admission of negligence from the HSE and from the laboratory which missed her cancer.

Reacting to the apology, Damien said: “We welcome the fact that the Taoiseach has apologised on behalf of the State.

“It is something we have wanted all along.” 

It is understood a formal letter of apology — on top of an apology read out in court — has already been issued to the family from the HSE.

Before last month’s High Court victory, she had had to fight for the smallest resource to help her — being placed, at one point, on a two-year waiting list for a specialist shower chair.

This was because she was not entitled to the same care package as the 221+ group of CervicalCheck survivors identified in an audit process that stopped in mid-2018.

Damien Carrick, husband of Patricia Carrick, outside the High Court last month after they settled their action against the HSE. Picture: Collins Courts

Her cancer diagnosis not only happened after this date, but it did not feature in a subsequent review of cases.

Patricia had been too ill to attend last month’s court victory, which saw her awarded €2.75m.

But her husband Damien was in the courtroom when counsel for the HSE Patrick Hanratty SC read out the apology on behalf of the HSE and the MedLab Pathology Ltd.

It stated: "The Health Service Executive and MedLab Pathology Ltd acknowledge the liquid-based cytology sample of May 31, 2016, was read in a manner that was negligent and in breach of duty.

Patricia, Ciaran and Damien Carrick.

“We wish to sincerely apologise that this occurred and for the consequences and distress that this has caused for you all.” 

Damien, in an in-depth interview with the Irish Examiner afterwards, had said it was his and his dying wife’s wish that the State should apologise for what had happened to her.

In the general State apology he issued on October 22, 2019, when he was then taoiseach, Leo Varadkar had apologised for the “litany of failures” in how cervical screening had been operated.

He described it as “a system that was doomed to fail”.

Mr Varadkar said the State was sorry for “failures of clinical governance”, “failures of leadership and management”, and “failure to tell the whole truth in a timely manner”.

He also apologised for “the humiliation, disrespect and deceit”, “the false reassurance” and “the attempts to play down the seriousness of this debacle”.

More to follow...