Bottrill cancer claims 'taking too long'

The lawyer representing 60 women seeking compensation for cervical smear slides misread by former Gisborne pathologist Michael Bottrill, says the Government is dragging its feet.

Lawyer Bruce Corkill said yesterday that the Government had spent 15 months on claims by the women for compensation with no results.

"I think the bottom line is that insufficient priority has been given to it. It has gone ahead at a very pedestrian pace," Mr Corkill told National Radio today.

He said the women were deeply upset by the time delay.

Health Minister Annette King said last week that a proposal for the claims process should be presented to the Cabinet before Christmas.

She hoped a decision about the claims process would be made soon after.

An investigation, which began in 1999, into cervical screening in Gisborne found almost 2000 women had their results misread. Most had results from Dr Bottrill's laboratory, which reported a lower degree of abnormality than was found after rereading.

- NZPA

Herald feature: Gisborne Cervical Screening Inquiry