Stephen Teap: Brilliant to get Patient Safety bill passed 'for Irene and Vicky'

Stephen Teap, Vicky Phelan, and Lorraine Walsh outside the Dáil in 2019 after hearing the Taoiseach apologise to victims of the CervicalCheck scandal. File picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

Campaigner Stephen Teap has told of how nervous he was over the past few days as the final wording of the Patients’ Rights Bill was agreed with Department of Health officials.

The final approval for the wording of the Bill was not given by the advocacy group 221 Plus until 10am on Wednesday, he revealed.

The bill was passed by TDs later that night.

The legislation, which aims to provide patients with greater transparency, is viewed as an important part of the legacy of reform and transformation that campaigners, including Vicky Phelan, fought for in the wake of the CervicalCheck scandal.

The new bill requires clinicians to fully inform patients of serious patient safety incidents.

It will also mean that following a diagnosis, patients will be offered a review of their screening so they can look back and see whether something had been missed in the past.

Mr Teap spoke of the importance of making sure that "every word was correct".

The Government had initially hoped to get the Patient Safety Bill through the Dáil before Christmas, but Health Minister Stephen Donnelly agreed to delay this until the new year to allow for further discussion after opposition TDs and patient advocates claimed the legislation was "flawed".

Emotional day 

While it was a "massive relief" to see the bill passed, Mr Teap said it was a very emotional day for him.

“It was brilliant to be able to achieve this for Vicky and Irene," he said.

Mr Teap's wife, Irene, passed away on July 26, 2017 while Ms Phelan died on November 14 last year.

Mr Teap recalled Ms Phelan’s words: "I don't want your accolades or your broken promises, I want action, we want change".

Yesterday we achieved that change, reflecting a change in people's rights and they were written into law to get access to information.” 

To be able to achieve this meant everything to him so that what had happened to his late wife Irene could not happen again to another person.

His sentiments were echoed by Lorraine Walsh, a founding member of the 221+ CervicalCheck Patient Support Group.

"It just means that you can actually find out the truth. It is so important to everybody to know the truth in relation to your history in relation to your health and be able to, at least, have peace," said Ms Walsh.

"Everybody will have the opportunity to request that review and it is mandatory that the HSE will have to tell you about that review, not alone when you enter the screening programme but also at the point of diagnosis."

An important part of the legislation is that women who have not had their slides audited between 2018 and when the bill becomes law will also be able to request a review.

Accountability 

Accountability is vital in order to begin repairing the trust that was lost following the CervicalCheck scandal, Ms Walsh added.

She said the bill will change the future of healthcare in Ireland as it covers many areas beyond cancer screenings, including nursing homes and private hospitals.

Looking ahead, Ms Walsh said that it will take time to change what Dr Gabriel Scally called "the culture of paternalism, verging on misogyny" that women face in terms of healthcare.

A culture shift such as this is difficult and it will not happen overnight, she said.

"We as women always seem to be the ones that are hurt badly in a lot of these scandals which have happened in this country.

"I suppose, as women, we need to stand together and ensure that we do get accountability and we do not accept that type of behaviour.

"It's not something that changes overnight and it is difficult to change but I do believe that change is happening.

"We are in a different place than we were five years ago for sure."