Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 May 2018
452. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 416 of 22 May 2018, the reason the case of the woman concerned (details supplied) was not referred to in the reply; and if a woman can request that her smear test is sent to an Irish laboratory and that there is no cost associated with such a request for the test to be sent to an Irish laboratory. [23726/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs advised in Parliamentary Question No. 416 of 22 May 2018, any woman who has previously had a CervicalCheck smear test, and who following consultation with her GP determines that she wishes to have a further test, may do so without charge. This includes the woman concerned in this instance, whose details have been supplied by the Deputy. An agreement was reached between the HSE and GPs on the reimbursement arrangements that will apply in such cases. This arrangement applies.
Each clinic in which smear tests are taken for the CervicalCheck programme is assigned to a particular laboratory. Approximately 50% of smear tests are allocated to laboratories in Ireland for analysis. Given the volume of tests involved, it is not possible to redirect smear tests taken as part of the CervicalCheck programme to alternate labs.
I would like to emphasise again that there is no evidence that the clinical and technical aspects of the programme have performed outside or below international standards or the quality guidelines set for the programme. All laboratories currently contracted by CervicalCheck meet the programme’s standards and have ISO accreditation, certified by the relevant national authorities.
