HSE and screening service apologise for failings to young mother with cervical cancer

Leona Macken’s case before the High Court was fast-tracked through the courts system because of the urgency of her diagnosis

Leona Macken: 'Something is not working in the system.' Photo: Collins Courts

The HSE and the National Screening Service has apologised for “failings” to a young mother of two who is battling cervical cancer.

The 38-year old hairdresser had sued over two cervical smear tests, one in 2016 and one in 2020, two years after the controversy around the screening programme broke and which it was claimed were incorrectly reported as negative.