Dr. Colm Henry:

HIQA did conduct a health technology assessment, or HTA, of universal screenings, which applies in two of the 17 countries it looked at. HIQA advised a more targeted screening programme as a screening programme has to demonstrate value for money as part of any evaluation value if it is to be applied at scale. That targeted screening would only identify children at risk at birth, those with a family history of dysplasia and those who had a breech delivery. We will shortly establish a full screening programme and we are trying to finalise a proposal for that. We have established a service in 16 centres, with ultrasound scans and assessment at six weeks for children in those risk groups. The numbers that are going through the service correspond to the kinds of numbers one would expect to see in those risk groups. We would like to see this transformed into a fuller screening service. The ultimate determiner of that is the national screening advisory committee which sits within the Department of Health. We will certainly be making that case.