Did the SNP cover up a cancer crisis?

The news that a Scottish woman died from cancer after being among more than 400 wrongly told they did not need to undergo cervical screening is unspeakably grim. Worse is the confirmation that the records of a further 500 women, which pre-date 1997, have yet to be accessed, meaning many more could be affected. The error stems from the incorrect exclusion of women who underwent partial hysterectomies. The Scottish government says it is also checking the records of 200,000 women who received a total hysterectomy, though this is a precautionary move and these women are expected to have been properly absented from screening call-ups.

Four potential reasons for the systemic failure have been given. First, some women may have been referred for a total hysterectomy but, for clinical reasons, given a subtotal procedure without their discharge letter noting the change, causing their GP to take their name off the recall list.