Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Oct 2002

Vol. 555 No. 3

Written Answers. - Cancer Screening Programme.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

211 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Health and Children when he proposes to extend the free breast screening programme to the Southern Health Board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18561/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

As the Deputy is aware, BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme, commenced in March 2000 with phase one of the programme covering the Eastern Regional Health Authority, Midland Health Board and North-Eastern Health Board areas. Screening is being offered free of charge to all women in those areas in the target age group 50 to 64 years of age. The target population consists of approximately 136,000 women and it represents about 50% of the national target population. BreastCheck is on target to complete phase one of the programme by December 2002. To end August 02, 91,906 women had been called for screening and 68,184 women have been screened, representing an uptake of 74%.

The decision to proceed on a phased basis is a reflection of the complexities involved in the screening process and it is essential that the programme is driven by international quality assurance criteria and best practice. The board of BreastCheck has recently submitted a business plan to my Department for the national expansion of the programme. My Department is currently discussing the business plan with BreastCheck and especially the links with the existing symptomatic breast disease services. I have invested substantially in the development of symptomatic services and further development is required.

I am also committed to the national extension of BreastCheck and a decision on this will be considered in the context of the overall investment programme for cancer services for 2003. As the Deputy is aware, any woman irrespective of her age or residence, who has immediate concerns or symptoms should contact her GP who, where appropriate, will refer her to the symptomatic services in her area.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

212 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Health and Children the average waiting time for cervical smear tests; the waiting times for the results of these tests in each of the health board areas at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18562/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Having made inquiries of the Eastern Regional Health Authority and those health boards which have laboratories undertaking analysis of cervical smears, the following is the information sought by the Deputy:

Board	Laboratory	Turnaround time
ERHA	St. Luke's	16 weeks
	Rotunda	8 weeks
	St. James's	7 weeks
	National Maternity Hospital	1 week
	Coombe Women's Hospital	4-6 weeks
	RCSI	9 weeks
	Beaumont	5 weeks
NWHB	Sligo General Hospital	22 weeks
NEHB	Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda	3 to 4 weeks
SHB	Mercy Hospital, Cork	4 weeks
	Cork University Hospital	20 weeks
WHB	Portiuncula	6 weeks
	UCHG	3 weeks

However, I should also point out that where cervical smears are marked urgent, results are available within a fortnight in the majority of cases. In a minority of instances, the waiting time can extend to four weeks.

I assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to facilitating a reduction in waiting times for routine smear test results. To this end, additional funding has been provided in recent years for the development of cervical cytology laboratories in terms of additional staffing, equipment and the introduction of new technology. Furthermore, my Department has recently approved the piloting of a proposed contingency plan to assist in overcoming capacity problems in the cervical cytology laboratories. This plan involves the contracting out of the analysis of cervical smears to a laboratory abroad subject to compliance with the requirements set out in the December 1999 document, "Quality Assurance Guidelines for the Irish National Cervical Screening Programme".

Under the National Health Strategy, a commitment has been given to the full extension of the programme to the rest of the country. The experience gained from phase one of the national programme in the Mid-Western Health Board area should be of assistance in the context of implementing this commitment. The process of planning and organising the national programme is a major undertaking with significant logistical and resource implications that requires careful consideration. Accordingly, following discussions with my Department on the matter, the chief executive officers of the health boards initiated an examination of the feasibility and implications of a roll out of the national programme. I understand the chief executive officers will be reporting on the outcome of the examination soon.