Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 4

Written Answers. - Cancer Screening Programme.

Paul Connaughton

Question:

32 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, there are to introduce strict quality control measures through guidelines for laboratories for the carrying out of screening for cervical cancer; if so, whether these guidelines will include standards for the training and competence of screeners, definitions of smear inadequacy, rapid re-screening measures, fail-safe recall systems and a clinical audit of performance and workloads to ensure consistency of performance; the action, if any, he will take to implement the proposal on national cervical cancer screening programme; and the position in this regard. [14114/98]

Alan Shatter

Question:

34 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, there are to introduce strict quality control measures through guidelines for laboratories for the carrying out of screening for cervical cancer; if so, whether these guidelines will include standards for the training and competence of screeners, definitions of smear inadequacy, rapid re-screening measures, fail-safe recall systems and a clinical audit of performance and workloads to ensure consistency of performance; the action, if any, he will take to implement the proposal on national cervical cancer screening programme; and the position in this regard. [14113/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 34 together.

The report of the Department of Health and Children's cervical screening committee was launched as part of the national cancer strategy in March 1997. The main thrust of the report is that cervical screening is a worthwhile preventive health measure when delivered as an organised screening programme. The report recommends,inter alia, the introduction of a national organised screening programme for women in the 25-60 age group at minimum intervals of five years.

The programme is being piloted in the Mid-Western Health Board area to identify and resolve any difficulties which might arise. The aim of the pilot project is to develop a cervical screening programme which runs successfully in the mid-west and can then be implemented throughout the rest of the country. It is expected that following two years experience of the pilot the introduction of the national cervical screening programme will commence.

The cervical screening committee, which I referred to earlier, included histopathologists and cytotechnologists, made many recommendations which are an integral part of overall quality assurance. These recommendations included,inter alia, rapid rescreening, quality control audit, workload and ongoing training for cytotechnologists. The committee also provided guidelines for the taking of cervical smears, classification of cytological abnormalities, reporting of cervical smear results, which includes reasons for unsatisfactory smears. The report has been circulated to all cytology laboratories.

I also understand that the Irish Association of Clinical Cytology have drawn up guidelines on internal quality control which were agreed at their annual general meeting on 15 May last. In addition the expert advisory committee on cervical screening which has been appointed to oversee the piloting of the screening programme is also addressing quality assurance issues.