Dr. Stephanie O'Keeffe:

I do not think it is a fair assessment because there was considerable consultation throughout the entire process of 2016. In fairness to those in the CervicalCheck programme, they appeared to reach out to colleagues who had knowledge and expertise in relation to these issues. Around all of the elements of open disclosure, for example, they spoke to colleagues internationally who are doing this and they looked at our own policies and people who advise in relation to that. Throughout all of that process, one could certainly look back and say we were all looking at it through rose-tinted glasses, but if one looks at the October briefing, it gave evidence of open disclosure happening. There was certainly an expectation and I feel quite strongly that the documentation there demonstrates that there was a clear intent. If there had been any suggestion to me at any point of that process throughout 2016 that there might be an issue, the documentation makes it very clear that I would absolutely have done something about it. If that had been raised with me at any point in 2017, I would have dealt with it as I did when it was escalated to me in February 2016. I feel absolutely and terribly sorry with regard to the fact that I did not have an opportunity to respond to it and that I did not. I did not have an opportunity to respond to it.