Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 3 April 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

CervicalCheck Screening Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Damien McCallion:

One laboratory is back to its pre-crisis turnaround times, the other is making significant inroads and we are working with the third laboratory. We have identified capacity with that third laboratory which we are currently trying to secure contractually, going through the relevant quality assurance steps to bring it on board. A lot of work is ongoing to bring those times down. Ultimately confidence will be restored for women who are waiting when they get their results. That is one aspect of the restoration of confidence. There is a range of other factors in restoring confidence in the programme generally which Dr. Doherty might speak to.