Brave Vicky Phelan urges women to ‘stand up for themselves’ as they fight for proper healthcare

VICKY Phelan tonight said she hopes her legacy will be that she encourages women to “stand up for themselves”, especially when they have the right to proper healthcare.

Brave Kilkenny native, who has been awarded the Right to Freedom Limerick by the Limerick City and County Council today, was honored for exposing the Cervical Screening scandal.

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Vicky and the other women were not informed that cervical cancer smear test results that show they are clear are indeed inaccurate and revised test results have been kept for many years.

Ms. Phelan settled a Supreme Court case, admitting liability, against a US laboratory that was subcontracted by Cervical examination national screening program to evaluate smear tests and her case against Health Service Operators (HSE) has been crossed out.

Vickywho is get cancer palliative caretell people who may find themselves in a similar position: “Don’t be afraid to take them on.”

Despite the “tough path” she has taken against the State, she will not change it, “because it means it opens the door for others to have their case heard.” , demanding justice and financial compensation for the family”.

The mother-of-two agrees that in her opinion, the cervical screening court failed.

Only ten women have claimed this way; by contrast, about 336 others have brought their actions before the Supreme Court.

“It is very upsetting and very disappointing to see, especially with the money spent on (courts), more than 2.5 million euros, and that only ten women or families have applied it.”

Ms. Phelan said although Cervical examination scandal“Lots” of lessons still need to be learned about the delivery of quality health care.

She said the recent revelations that kids attend Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) “reminds me a lot of what happened with Cervical.”

“Here we go, it’s another scandal that shouldn’t have happened, and again we’re talking about a non-confrontational court, that really doesn’t exist in this country as we have been. know, so there’s still a lot to learn. ”

‘MAKING THE DIFFERENCE’

Ms. Phelan said women were consistently failing on healthcare and reiterated her previous calls for the government to create a minister of women’s health.

“I’ve been challenged about it before but I honestly don’t think a man can really understand what a woman feels like. Many doctors, especially in obstetrics and gynecology, are male, very few gynecologists are female; How can a man understand how a woman feels when menstruating, going through childbirth, and going through menopause? ”

Ms. Phelan said she wants to be remembered as “someone who always asks… someone who can make a difference, and if you ask the question, the worst that can happen is people might say.” no”, but surely if your life goes on, you should definitely ask more questions”.

“That’s really what I advise people to do, so I suppose my legacy is that I hope people will learn to stand up for themselves.”

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