Women in Birmingham have had to put up with delays before getting the results of their cervical smear tests, according to a report.

The waiting time at the city's women's hospital was on average 15 weeks, 11 weeks longer than the normal period for results during the autumn and winter.

The report, by the Birmingham Health Authority, also found that there were not enough laboratory technicians to examine smear samples and that those currently doing the job were overworked.

Nearly a quarter of all women in Birmingham do not take up the offer of a smear test to check for signs of cervical cancer.

But unions say the shortage of laboratory staff means that if they did, there would not be enough staff to cope with the workload.

We don't have as many staff as we would like for the service in Birmingham

Richard Kirby, Birmingham Health Authority

Dominic Hook, from the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union (MSF), said: "There is a significant proportion of vacancies which is not so much of a problem at the moment.

"But if health promotion is successful and more women take up the offer of a cervical smear test, there will be problems because of the current vacancies.

"In our view the reason for this is because the pay is so low.

'Stressful job'

"It is a very stressful job in terms of making sure the results are right.

If they are wrong, it can have a devastating impact on people."

He added: "As a trade union representing staff, we feel our members are underpaid and under resourced.

The authority says there are recruitment problems

"We are calling for better pay and conditions. In our view that is the only way the service can get the people it needs to do the job."

Richard Kirby, deputy director of health care services for Birmingham Health Authority, admitted there were "short-term" problems with recruiting staff.

"We don't have as many staff as we would like for the service in Birmingham.

"We are just about able to hold our four week waiting time standard for results with the staff we have got.

'National framework'

"But it is taking an awful lot of hard work from the people in the hospitals."

He added that the authority would be tackling the problem by investing more money to create more training posts for cervical screening staff in Birmingham.

Mr Kirby said: "We have also provided resources on a one-off basis for this year to try and keep things at the four-week deadline.

"We are working within the national framework in terms of pay and conditions and are looking at quality of premises and flexible working hours as part of the NHS policy in improving working lives."

He added that there was no risk to women who are currently undergoing smear tests.