asked the Minister for Health the number of women who died in Ireland in each of the past five years from cervical cancer; in view of the fact that there is a six-month waiting list for a smear test for public patients in the Dublin area and the vital necessity to have early detection of this disease, the action he proposes to take to ensure that smear testing is readily available to all women; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Smear Testing.
66.
The number of women who died from cervical cancer in this country over the past five years is as follows: 1983, 57; 1984, 55; 1985, 70; 1986, 58; 1987, 65.
Cervical screening is readily available to all women on request from their general practitioners and at family planning clinics, maternity hospitals and clinics organised by health boards. In 1987, 165,000 smears were analysed, the majority of which were taken by general practitioners. Smear tests are available free of charge to medical card holders and to women receiving services in respect of motherhood.
The majority of smears taken in the Dublin area from public patients are analysed in St. Luke's Hospital. Over the years there were delays in reporting results, but now, I am glad to say, results are available within one week.
In January of this year I set up a working group to prepare detailed proposals on the further improvement of the cervical screening service throughout the country. The working group recently submitted their report to me. I intend to implement the recommendations of the working group and I am confident that screening service will continue to improve.
Is the Minister aware that many women would prefer to avail of the service at a public hospital rather than with their GP and is he aware that in the Dublin area the only hospital now providing this facility is the Coombe Hospital for which there is a six months waiting list? In view of the importance of early detection of this disease, will the Minister take steps to ensure that those women who wish to have the smear test carried out at a hospital as opposed to a GP surgery will be free to have the test carried out without undue delay?
I do not accept that the only hospital in the city of Dublin which carries out cervical smears is the Coombe hospital. Cervical smears are carried out in all gynaecology departments in the city of Dublin. As I have already pointed out, the majority of women have cervical smears performed by their general practitioners but if for one reason or another they do not wish to have the procedure carried out by their general practitioners, they can be referred to hospital departments for that procedure.
That disposes of Questions, both ordinary and otherwise, for today.