Suggestions the release of highly critical reports on the national breast-screening programme were delayed to avoid the general election and limit media exposure appear to have been rejected by the Ministry of Health.
The two independent review documents were dated August last year but not released until December.
There is a brief mention of the positive aspects of the review in the National Screening Unit's December online newsletter, but no link provided to the reports.
Responding to Otago Daily Times' questions on the timing of the release of the reports, a Ministry of Health spokesman said that before the reports could be released it was important the ministry's chief medical officer, Dr Don Mackie, who was only appointed in August, had an opportunity to consider them.
Dr Mackie is chairing the steering group which has been set up to assess and prioritise the 22 recommendations from the review.
It was also important that the person appointed to the position of director national services purchasing for the National Health Board was in place, the spokeswoman said.
Jill Lane was appointed to that role in November.
