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Cancer Screening Programmes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 October 2018

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

Questions (114)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

114. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the audit that was suspended as a temporary measure into the findings of cervical smear tests; the date on which it was suspended; the date on which the audit will recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43528/18]

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Written answers

Following the emergence of issues relating to CervicalCheck earlier this year, the audit process was paused pending the outcome of the two reviews established by Government.

The first of these was the report of the Scoping Inquiry into issues surrounding CervicalCheck. Dr Scally’s report was published on my Department's website on 12 September and includes 50 recommendations, all of which have been accepted by Government. These include two recommendations relating specifically to auditing cervical screening.

Dr Scally recommends that common, robust and externally validated approaches to all aspects of audit should be developed across the screening services. He also advises that there should be two patient advocates involved in the oversight of clinical audit for the screening services. Both of these recommendations will be implemented.

I am committed to returning to Government within three months, as recommended by Dr Scally, with a full plan for the implementation of all 50 of his recommendations. Development of this plan is underway, overseen by the CervicalCheck Steering Committee, which I established in June.

I want to see audit of cervical screening recommence as soon as possible, but it must be done in the right way and in the robust way that Dr Scally recommends, and there is obviously some work required to ensure that happens.

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