Results 28,881-28,900 of 46,397 for speaker:Simon Harris

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I cannot second guess why a laboratory did or did not do anything. All I and this House can rely on are the findings of the Scally report which showed very serious shortcomings in respect of governance and procurement but not in respect of deficiencies. I am satisfied that Dr. Scally has established the truth in that regard. I am also satisfied that the new standards that we have in place...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: Sure.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I would have to check that with the HSE but I will provide the Deputy and perhaps Deputy Donnelly with a written record on that. I would not have that available to me.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: That is the key question. I am very pleased that when I had a chance to meet Dr. Scally before the publication of this report I asked him was he satisfied that the new arrangements in place for quality assurance of the new contract are appropriate and meet what I refer to as the "Scally standard" and he said that he was. I am satisfied that the implementation of Dr. Scally's recommendations...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: That is a very important question. We are trying to find as many alternative pathways as possible. This week I got approval from the Cabinet for the publication of the full tribunal Bill. I heard Deputy Mattie McGrath refer to it as a different sort of tribunal. The idea here is that this would be an adjudicative tribunal and an alternative to court. I intend to introduce that Bill on...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: This is something I am considering at the moment. I am talking to the patient representatives, namely, Stephen Teap and Lorraine Walsh, about how this matter will be dealt with. We have an independent review of slides available for everybody to avail of through the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists process. The last day for participating in same was 7 June. That is also...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: The implementation of Dr. Scally's recommendations will bring that about. That is not all that needs to be brought in. A quality assurance lead must also be put in place within CervicalCheck. I heard the Fianna Fáil spokesperson, Deputy Donnelly, rightly acknowledge earlier that while in the past our CervicalCheck programme has been a great success in terms of outcomes and the...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I am no spokesperson for the laboratories. They failed to do so, it was entirely inappropriate and I share Dr. Scally's frustration with that situation. Dr. Scally kept me informed throughout the process and I am pleased that he seems to have got to the bottom of matters and established many facts. The idea that people could not or would not co-operate is entirely unacceptable to me, to...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: That is an important point. I am open to correction but from my engagements with Dr. Scally and from my reading of any of Dr. Scally's reports, I do not believe that he has suggested that my Department did not co-operate. I have had conversations with my Secretary General from day 1 about the importance of my Department co-operating in full. The Deputy is correct that at the start of his...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I appreciate that the Deputy is being reasonable. I cannot answer for things that happened, not just before I was Minister for Health, but before I was a Member of this House in 2010. It is a cause of concern and Dr. Scally pointed out that it was a cause of concern that the ratio seemed to change quite significantly. He did not say that the safety of the screening was altered by that. I...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I know the Deputy is aware of this but I want to assure her that when the HSE tried to identify additional capacity for the programme this time around, it searched everywhere, including in Ireland, to see if additional capacity could be found. The Deputy will accept that there is no additional capacity today. The Deputy is correct that there may have been at a point in the past but today...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to draw up plans on how we can significantly increase the size of the facility in the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital. That hospital is carrying out about 10% of our tests today and there is no reason, particularly with the move to HPV testing, that it could not be doing an awful lot more, coupled with investment. I am told, however, and I am awaiting more...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: That point is more than fair. This has been going on for too long at this stage. My understanding is that there is a draft report on this. I am being careful with my words because I want to check this but my understanding is it has been shared with the patient representatives. They have certainly seen it and had a chance to have an input to it. I will put it on the record of the House...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I can give that assurance because it is a recommendation from Dr. Scally and on top of that I want to give the assurance that there will continue to be a double reading of all Irish slides being read in US laboratories. That is not normal US practice but any Irish slide being read in a US laboratory will be double read. As I said, this is different to normal US practice where slides are...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy has asked me this question before and I asked Dr. Scally about this when I met him as I was conscious that the Deputy may ask me this question again. The Deputy will have a chance to ask him directly and I am sure he will do so. My understanding is that it took Dr. Scally that period of time to get to the bottom of the various questions he wanted answered. As the Deputy will...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I do not have anything further to add. From my recollection, although I will check and revert to the Deputy tomorrow, Dr. Scally may have written to me to say he would take some more time. Certainly, as my reply to the Deputy's parliamentary question correctly stated, I met Dr. Scally on the same day I met the 221+ group at the Department. He updated me on his work in that regard and...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: No. While I am sticking to the advice of my official, I have no knowledge of any other version of the report.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I do not have to hand the date of when Dr. Scally found that out.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I will certainly ask that. As the Deputy helpfully pointed out, Dr. Scally will appear before the health committee but I will certainly ask him-----