I will be very brief because many of my issues have been raised. I refer to private screening and people being referred to public colposcopy clinics. I saw a letter from a consultant to a patient over four months ago. The patient's GP became concerned about her and felt her screening needed to be fast-tracked. The results came back and concerns were raised in the screening process. The GP referred the patient to a public clinic in Cork and a consultant in the clinic wrote to state that because the patient went for a private screening, the clinic would not be able to assess her.

I gave advice to the patient to the effect that the GP should write to another public clinic and a second public clinic had no difficulty in accepting the patient. Two weeks after the patient had been seen in the public clinic, the clinic received a circular advising it could not take any patient who had had screening privately. The same letter was sent to public clinics. I understand that is now not the position and a further letter has been sent to public clinics stating that if a medical practitioner is concerned about a result, regardless of whether the patient is public or private, the clinic will be able to take the patient. I would like clarification on that.