Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 May 2018
177. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health to set out in tabular form the detection rates of pre-cancerous abnormal cells discovered by each of the four laboratories contracted to conduct the cervical screening tests (details supplied) since 2008 for each of the laboratories concerned. [21805/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra178. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the reports and studies relied on by his Department in 2008 and subsequently to support the decision to outsource the cervical screening programme. [21806/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra179. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health to outline the submissions made by laboratories tendering for contracts for the cervical screening programme in 2008 and on subsequent occasions. [21807/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra180. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if the 2014 and subsequent audits commissioned by CervicalCheck were part of the laboratory quality assurance process; and the details of such audits. [21808/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra181. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if the screening test conducted in US laboratories is conducted in the same manner as those done in laboratories here; and if all smears are separately screened by two independent medical scientists who are trained as cytologists. [21809/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra182. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if the staff conducting smear testing in laboratories outside of the State are qualified to the same standard as those conducting the tests here, that is, if they are medical scientists and pathologists with specific qualifications and training similar to that required to operate here. [21810/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 177 to 182, inclusive, together.
All laboratories contracted by CervicalCheck meet the programme’s standards and have ISO accreditation, certified by the relevant national authorities. The laboratories undergo annual certification or surveillance audits from the relevant national certification body for their continuing accreditation.
CervicalCheck monitors and reviews a number of criteria in relation to laboratory performance including volumes, sources of tests, turnaround times, recommendations assigned to results, screener sensitivity and workload metrics, external quality assurance and positive predictive values.
Other aspects of the issues raised relate to matters that are now the subject of a Scoping Inquiry that I established on 8th May 2018. The Terms of Reference of the Scoping Inquiry, which is being led by Dr Gabriel Scally, are very comprehensive and include the following:
- examine all aspects of CervicalCheck.
- examine the tendering, contracting, operation, conflict of interest arrangements, performance information and performance management, accreditation and quality assurance of contracted cytology laboratory services by CervicalCheck from initiation of the programme.
