CervicalCheck now has a backlog of 78,000 smear tests following a large increase in samples taken last year.

It is estimated that the CervicalCheck scandal in which saw over 200 women who were given false negative results, led to an additional 9,000 women opting for a free smear test.

The average wait time is about three months and in several cases, patients are now waiting up to 27 weeks for the results of their test.

The news comes after 6,000 women were asked to have repeat smear tests due to confusion between CervicalCheck and laboratories after many of the samples came back invalid because they had not been tested within a 30 day time period.

A separate issue was formed due to the confusion as many smear tests had come back invalid due to an expired time period which presented itself as a false negative result.

As a result this lead to many women going on to develop cervical cancer in later years following their tests with others, including Orla Church, sadly passing away recently.

Many have campaigned extensively to shed light on the scandal including Vicky Phelan.

The HSE has yet to give an update on the backlog issue at an Oireachtas Committee this morning.

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