Results 81-100 of 270 for cervical speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services Provision (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government decision of 11 May 2018 put in place a package of support measures for the women and families affected by the issues related to CervicalCheck. Those measures included medicines which might not be approved for reimbursement including Pembrolizumab, once they are prescribed by the treating clinician. The establishment of such a comprehensive...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services Provision (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: ...authorisation. As the Deputy will be aware, the Government decision of 11 May 2018 put in place a package of support measures for the women and families affected by the issues related to CervicalCheck. Those measures included medicines which might not be approved for reimbursement including Pembrolizumab, once they are prescribed by the treating clinician. The establishment of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (27 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The HSE advises that the results of a cervical screening test (smear test) are sent to the GP or clinic of the woman who took the test, and that the HSE then writes to the woman to let her know when her results are available. In May 2018, I asked CervicalCheck to make the necessary arrangements to provide that any woman who had had a CervicalCheck smear test, and whose GP considered that...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (26 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: In May 2018, I asked CervicalCheck to make the necessary arrangements to provide that any woman who had a CervicalCheck smear test, and whose GP considered that she should have a further test as part of her reassurance, could access such a further test without charge. This decision was made in good faith to address the considerable fears of the many anxious women in Ireland, following issues...

Confidence in the Minister for Health: Motion (20 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: ...through access to new and innovative medicines. I am the first to acknowledge that there is a great deal more to do and I want to get on with that job. We are already working towards eradicating cervical cancer. Sinn Féin claims to speak for these people but truly it does not. It is our national aim to eradicate cervical cancer. This year, we will extend the HPV vaccination...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (19 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: In May 2018, I asked CervicalCheck to make the necessary arrangements to provide that any woman who had had a CervicalCheck smear test, and whose GP considered that she should have a further test as part of her reassurance, to access such a further test without charge. This decision was made in good faith to address the considerable fears of the many anxious women in Ireland, following issues...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (19 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The HSE advises that the results of a cervical screening test (smear test) are sent to the GP or clinic of the woman who took the test, and that the HSE then writes to the woman to let her know when her results are available. In this instance I take it that the Deputy is referring to a delay in the receipt of results following a smear test and will respond on that basis. In May 2018, I...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (12 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: ...weeks of the smear test date. After six weeks, the sample is deemed expired and cannot be processed. Although every effort is made to avoid these situations from happening, it is inevitable that cervical screening programmes will sometimes encounter these issues; in some cases, the increased volume of smear tests in 2018 resulted in a delay transferring samples to slides. However, in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (7 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The unprecedented demand for cervical screening in 2018 has undoubtedly put pressure on laboratory capacity and led to the long delays that are being experienced in smear test turnaround times. This increased level of engagement with the programme is welcome. However, the increased demand has undoubtedly put pressure on lab capacity and the HSE has been working actively with the labs to...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: ...here. This is what women will want to know. I will read to the House what I have been told by the HSE from a clinical point of view. The HSE has advised clinically that the natural history of cervical cancer indicates that the disease normally develops over a period of ten to 15 years. Due to this very fact, it is important that women of screening age attend for cervical screening each...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the House for providing the opportunity to provide an update on matters relating to CervicalCheck, to speak about the progress that has been made to respond to the issues raised while driving continued improvement in the service, and to respond to questions Deputies may have. Crucially, the screening service has continued to focus on continuation of a programme which, despite the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I might ask Dr. Peter McKenna if he wants to add anything from a clinical perspective to what I say. I answered questions on CervicalCheck in the Dáil yesterday and we have a debate with questions and answers on the issue today. I remember the Deputy's letter and the case of Ann, which she raised here. There are no two ways about it. We have a very significant backlog in our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: ...I stated to Deputy Kelly, it was almost impossible to estimate how many would take up the offer of reassurance or how long the period of unease would be. Almost 350,000 screening tests were submitted to CervicalCheck laboratories during 2018, of which approximately 82,000 are still being processed. The increased workload has led to delays in the reporting of results. Results are being...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: ...Minister for Health, I rely on clinical advice. The clinical advice available to me is what I have stated on the record of the House. The HSE has clinically advised me that the natural history of cervical cancer indicates it is a disease that would normally develop over a period of ten to 15 years. Due to this fact, regular screening is very important in terms of reducing the risk....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his question and acknowledge the significant advocacy work he has done in this area. The unprecedented demand for cervical screening in 2018 owing to understandable concerns of women, as well as an increased uptake of screening, has led to long and very regrettable delays in the reporting of results. The fact that new women have opted into the programme for the first...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: ...I did not act against official advice. Such cheap political charges which the Deputy did not make only added to the unease. I met the 221+ group of women and their partners who had been through cervical cancer and relatives of people who had died. They get very annoyed when we start to play petty party politics by putting half-truths in the public domain. I know the Deputy agrees. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: ...House. Unfortunately, quite a bit of misinformation was put out, although not by the Deputy, for the sake of making political charges in recent weeks. Where low grade changes are detected on a cervical smear test, a second so-called "triage test", which looks for the HPV virus, is carried out by laboratories. If HPV is found, women are recommended to attend for further testing. If...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: ...Clinical Expert Panel Review is being carried out by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) with expertise also sourced through the British Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology. The protocol for the Review has been published on the website of the Department of Health. Where the expert panel opinion of cytology results differs to the original results...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The unprecedented demand in cervical screening in 2018, due to understandable concerns from women as well as increased uptake of screening, has led to long and very regrettable delays in the reporting of results. The HSE has advised me that results are currently being reported on average within 22 weeks of the test being taken. While in some cases results are reported in a shorter period of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the cost of a smear retest following the issue that has arisen in relation to secondary HPV testing. Where low grade changes are detected on a cervical smear test, a second, so-called ‘triage test’ – which looks for the HPV virus – is carried out by laboratories. If HPV is found, women are recommended to attend for...