Dr. Lorraine Doherty:

What I have described is a programme of work we are undertaking to get us to the point where we could introduce HPV testing, which includes securing a provider for the service. Preferably, we will have addressed the backlog to introduce some stability to the system. As I said, we cannot give the committee a fixed timeline or date for when the HPV primary screening will start, but we anticipate that we would certainly be looking at no longer than early next year to introduce this programme. We must make sure that the steps we take are evidence driven and safe. There is no point in being bounced into rapidly introducing a test without all the other structures that need to be in place around it to ensure the system is safe.