Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 3 April 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

CervicalCheck Screening Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Damien McCallion:

I was just reflecting on that. There is language here, but what we are effectively talking about is moving people on three and a five-year recalls out. We would always still want to see new women because they are high risk, as well as people from colposcopy and short-term recalls. There are categories of women that have to be seen and for whom the programme could not be suspended. We would then simply move some of the standard recalls out further in time. We have examined that option but if we can secure this capacity, that is clearly the preference. We are focused on that.