Resignation 'a loss for New Zealand women'

The resignation of the National Screening Unit clinical director is a loss for the women of New Zealand, says the Cancer Society.

Society spokeswoman Betsy Marshall said she feared for the future of breast and cervical screening programmes without Dr Julia Peters, who has resigned for "professional and personal" reasons.

Her resignation could also cause a major setback in the implementation of some of the recommendations of last year's ministerial inquiry into Gisborne pathologist Michael Bottrill's misreading of about 2000 abnormal cervical smears.

The unit was charged with carrying out an audit of cancer cases that would reassure women the mistakes made in Gisborne had not happened elsewhere.

A recently released report by Scottish expert Euphemia McGoogan, who assessed the progress of the implementation of the Gisborne inquiry recommendations, said Dr Peters was "severely overloaded".

Dr McGoogan warned that the unit was severely under-resourced.

"As it stands, the full clinical responsibility [for both the cervical and breast screening programmes] is, in effect, invested in one person [Dr Peters]," she said.

The potential impact of Dr Peters' departure was raised by Dr McGoogan, who warned that "this situation presents a major risk and cannot be allowed to continue".

The report said Dr Peters was trying to provide leadership to both the breast and cervical screening programmes, training and development of new staff, managing the Quality, Monitoring Analysis and Audit team, dealing with professional bodies and huge volumes of clinical inquiries.

Dr Peters, who has headed the unit for 3 1/2 years, is expected to leave her job at the end of next month.

Ms Marshall said no one within the unit was qualified to step into Dr Peters' position, and her resignation was a huge loss for the unit and for the programmes.

The deputy director-general of health responsible for public health issues, Dr Don Matheson, said the Ministry of Health was aware Dr Peters was overloaded. It had been recruiting two people to share the load - one to head each screening programme.

"All senior positions in the health sector are stressful jobs," Dr Matheson said.

Dr Peters was the most experienced person for the job, and her resignation would "have some impact, but it will not prevent us from carrying out the recommendations [of the Gisborne inquiry]".

Dr Matheson said the ministry would look internationally and within New Zealand for a replacement. Dr Peters would continue to help out part-time.

Green Party health spokeswoman Sue Kedgley said Dr Peters' resignation was the second warning in less than a month that the screening programme was in trouble.

She said it was clear the lack of funding and support had taken its toll on Dr Peters.

"Her resignation is a loss of experience and knowledge from the unit, and will do nothing to restore women's confidence in the screening programme."

- NZPA