Mr. Stephen Teap:

I am sorry to hear about Deputy Smith's friend. It is a question we have faced as many people consented to the RCOG review but the Deputy knows the massive delay with that. These people were not part of the original audit either. One gentleman contacted me whose partner passed away and, like the Deputy's friend, a number of smears had reported as negative also. He asked me what to do and I told him there were two options. These were to wait for RCOG to come back or to get an independent review, which would cost money. The Deputy's friend got the independent review. With the people diagnosed with cervical cancer since the audit stopped we have no option but to say they should either wait until the audit reopens or they can get an independent review. That is all that is available, unfortunately. It is not right.