London - Three women who were victims of Britain's worst cervical screening scandal were jubilant last night after winning a landmark test case against the hospital involved.
The High Court ruled that Kent and Canterbury Hospital was negligent in not referring Ms Helen Palmer, Ms Lesley Cannon and Ms Sandra Penney for follow-up tests after initial smears showed borderline abnormalities. All three women needed radical hysterectomies after it was discovered years later that the missed abnormalities had led to them developing cancer.
The ruling by Mr Justice Peppitt will have implications for hundreds of women involved in other smear scandals around Britain and could lead to a surge in compensation pay-outs by hospitals which have previously denied liability.