NO doubt bewilderment and anger today accompanies the disclosure that 450 East Lancashire women were put at risk of catching hepatitis or sexually-transmitted diseases because instruments used in smear tests they had at a GP surgery were not properly sterilised.

For, it is revealed that this unsafe procedure was taking place at the surgery in Perry Street, Darwen, of Dr Ibrahim Derar as far back as 1991. People - above all, the women put at risk - will want to know why it took 12 whole years for it to be found out.

And although the Primary Care Trust, which has launched an investigation into the case, has checked all other surgeries in Blackburn and Darwen to ensure that no similar practices exist, patients will want assurances that no other unsafe procedures are taking place across the borough when other medical tests are being carried out.

Certainly, health chiefs will need to provide answers as to why such a situation prevailed at Perry Street for so long and produce evidence that firm measures have been put in place to prevent anything like it happening again anywhere in East Lancashire's health service.

And it will be of no surprise if the necessity for this is also driven by a shower of claims for compensation from the women patients who, like Jean Bell, now face weeks of anguish.