Dr. Colm Henry:

My approach was not to escalate the matter automatically, but rather to ensure that those concerned resolved it such that patients would be informed. I regret that that outcome was not achieved. At the time, I believed no further actions were required by me as a clinical adviser once the clinicians had met the lead of the cervical screening programme and I had been assured that that caused a change in the communication policy and there would be further engagement on a consensus approach which would lead to patients being informed. If I had known the patients were not going to be informed, I would not have been happy.