11 December 2018
NHS Workers Have 'Lost Confidence' In Capita, Says RCGP After Latest Screening Blunder
Responding to new information about administrative errors made in the NHS cervical cancer screening programme, Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:
"This is simply not good enough. Less than a month since we initially heard about this cervical screening error, we are now hearing it is more serious, and has affected thousands more women.
"Cervical screening is a successful national programme that has potentially saved thousands of lives, yet take up especially among younger women, is falling. We should be doing our utmost to encourage more to have smear tests but errors, such as this, will only serve to further damage women's confidence in the programme.
"Again, it is important for women not to panic and await further information – and we know that NHS England are working to contact women who have been affected as a matter of urgency. We also welcome the forthcoming review into national cancer screening programmes by Professor Sir Mike Richards.
"Capita has been shown time and time again to be unable to deliver on the work it has been contracted to do in the NHS. This is completely unacceptable - people working throughout the NHS have lost all confidence in Capita, and it really is time for NHS England to reconsider its contract with them."
Further Information
RCGP Press office: 020 3188 7633/7574/7575
Out of hours: 0203 188 765
press@rcgp.org.uk
Notes
The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 52,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.