Costs cut into role of Cancer Society in smear inquiry

By FIONA BARBER

The Cancer Society is moving to downgrade its presence at the Gisborne cervical cancer inquiry.

The society is one of six parties represented at the top level of the investigation but legal issues and travel costs have forced a rethink.

Chief executive Jo Bransgrove said yesterday that the society was applying for "persons entitled to be heard" status, a tier lower than its current full party status.

Party status can allow crossexamination of witnesses and wider access to legal documents.

Health campaigner Sandra Coney, concerned at the planned change, said it was vital that the society played a full part because it represented the public.

Jo Bransgrove said reasons behind the move included the costs associated with being a full party and the discovery that the society could still call witnesses if it altered its rank.

She would not discuss the cost of mounting the case but said part of the problem had been the moving of the inquiry to Gisborne.

"We are confident we can achieve our objectives under the persons to be heard [status]," she said.

"Our objective is to look at the systemic issues."

Jo Bransgrove said the society had applied to the Minister of Health for funding before Christmas but had been turned down.

Sandra Coney, the executive director of Women's Health Action, said she did not see how the Cancer Society could play an effective role if it could not cross-examine.

Cross-examination in the cervical cancer inquiry of 1987-88 was vitally important.

"It's the Cancer Society's duty to be there - the public would expect them to be."

Health Minister Annette King said yesterday that the funding decisions were made by officials handling the inquiry.

Up to $900,000 had been put towards the investigation and the priority was representation for affected women.

The inquiry starts on April 10 and runs for a month. It then reconvenes on July 3 until July 27.

The Health Funding Authority, Ministry of Health, Women's Health Information and Resource Trust, affected women and retired Gisborne pathologist Dr Michael Bottrill have party status along with the society.

At the next level are the Association of Community Laboratories, the Medical Council, Medlab Gisborne, Ngati Porou Hauroa/Turanga Health, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, Tairawhiti Healthcare and Women's Health Action.