A review of a lab at the centre of a smear test investigation began last June, the Echo can reveal.

Pathology First, a lab run jointly by Southend, Basildon and Thurrock Hospitals, and a private firm, Integrated Pathology Partnerships, yesterday issued a hotline number for concerned women after it was revealed up to 55,000 smear samples could be retested.

Last week the Echo reported how an independent screening service was brought in to retest the samples at the lab which wrongfully gave women the all-clear.

Of the 17 women who need further investigation, nine have been contacted for re-screening and eight have been referred for further tests.

The hospital trust originally said 2,500 smears would be retested after 17 women were wrongfully given the all clear and were actually at risk of developing cancer.

However, Public Health England said yesterday if the retesting revealed further problems then re-testing could be expanded to all 55,000 women who had smear tests during the past two years.

Women whose re-analysed tests come out as negative will not be contacted. Women are unlikely to know if their samples are being retested unless they get called for further tests.

The lab, which has declined to comment, asked women who are concerned about their test results to call 01268 968300 and select option three. Lines open at 9am.

A hospital trust spokeswoman said: “Following a routine visit by the Public Health England Screening Quality Assurance Service to Pathology First last June, it was agreed to re-examine a number of cervical screening samples to provide assurance the service is carried out to the required standards of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.

“2,500 samples are currently being re-examined by an independent cytology screening service. To date, the re-examination of 900 samples has identified that 17 women need further investigation and they have been contacted and invited for re-screening or referred for further assessment. The re-examination process is expected to take until the end of February. Until this is complete we do not know whether or not any additional tests will need to be rescreened.”

The spokeswoman added: “We understand this is a potentially worrying time for women involved and would like to reassure all women covered by the locally provided cervical screening programme that the service continues to operate to high quality standards.”