Results 161-180 of 270 for cervical speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Harris: All laboratories contracted by CervicalCheck must operate in line with Quality Assurance standards and requirements set out by the cervical screening programme. Each laboratory is subject to ongoing monitoring by the programme to ensure compliance with QA standards. Although there are no specific guidelines in relation to how long cytology screening staff should assess an...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Cervical Screening Programme (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Harris: ..., screening intervals, and screening exit ages in both unvaccinated and vaccinated cohorts. This included economic modelling to project the financial cost of each of the strategies. Currently cervical screening samples undergo cytology screening as the primary screening test and following the move to HPV testing, cervical screening samples will undergo a HPV test as the primary...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Administration (12 Jun 2018)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is  aware, the Government decided on 11 May 2018 to offer a comprehensive package of support measures to those women diagnosed with cervical cancer since 2008 for whom cytology review recommendations following clinical audit differed from the original test.  This support package also encompassed immediate family members, including the next-of-kin of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (31 May 2018)

Simon Harris: ...by the Deputy would present a risk to maintaining the privacy of the women and families involved and their right to confidentiality. Since 2008, some 3 million smear tests have been carried out by CervicalCheck for women throughout Ireland.  Over 1,200 invasive cancers have been detected by CervicalCheck. In addition, 30,000 low grade abnormalities (CIN 1) have been detected and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (31 May 2018)

Simon Harris: ...e.g. they are abroad or their contact details have changed. The Government agreed a comprehensive package of health and social care measures to support the 209 women who have been diagnosed with cervical cancer and whose audit result differed from their original smear test, and their families. These measures include: - the provision of a discretionary medical card for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (31 May 2018)

Simon Harris: The National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) has provided details of 1,631 cervical cancers diagnosed since 2008 to CervicalCheck and this data will be made available to the International Clinical Expert Review Panel which is being established. The Review Panel will examine these 1,631 cases of invasive cervical cancer, as well as the cases included in the original...

Written Answers — Department of Health: State Claims Agency (30 May 2018)

Simon Harris: ...Service Clinical/General Status Updated Count Breast Check Clinical Claim under investigation 3 Breast Check Clinical Claim Litigation 2 Breast Check General Claim under investigation 3 Cervical Check Clinical Potential Claim under review 1 Cervical Check Clinical Claim under investigation 12 Cervical Check Clinical Claim Litigation 1 Cervical Check Clinical Trial 2 Cervical...

Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (29 May 2018)

Simon Harris: ...that that will include issues relating to screening. I also want to move to HPV testing this year. I asked the HSE to introduce HPV testing as the primary screening method for the prevention of cervical cancer as soon as possible. The HPV test is a more accurate testing mechanism than liquid-based cytology which is the current testing mechanism and it would have fewer false negative...

Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (29 May 2018)

Simon Harris: ...to ensure their feedback will go directly to the HSE. I will personally monitor the position closely. As the Deputy knows, there was a significant downward trend in the incidence of invasive cervical cancer between 2010 and 2015 and we are seeing improvements in five-year survival rates. For that progress to continue, it is essential that women keep participating in cervical screening....

Order of Business (29 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I will revert to the Deputy specifically on a time limit. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the UK, along with the British Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, have been asked to audit all of those files, and that work is about to commence.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (29 May 2018)

Simon Harris: ...; Therefore, it is essential to establish the facts and to agree the actions needed to address the issues raised by the Deputy. It is also important to restore the trust and confidence of women in CervicalCheck.  An independent Scoping Inquiry is being undertaken by Dr Gabriel Scally, President of the Epidemiology and Public Health section of the Royal...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (29 May 2018)

Simon Harris: As at 24 May 21,228 calls had been received by the CervicalCheck helpline, 11,341 women had requested callbacks and 10.382 women had received callbacks. The rate of call back has been steadily improving and as of 24 May stood at 92 per cent. There is a process of checking records, checking data quality and assigning the callback to a health professional, and the Serious Incident...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Cervical Screening Programme (29 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Women can be referred for more regular smear tests if required following colposcopy. CervicalCheck currently uses three laboratories to analyse cervical screening tests, including those from women who have been referred for colposcopy and I am advised that there is no such differentiation between samples in the laboratory. All of these laboratories meet CervicalCheck’s...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (22 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Last week I established an Independent Clinical Expert Review Panel led by The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, with expert input from the British Society of Colposcopists and Cervical Pathologists. All women who have had a previous smear(s) prior to their diagnosis of cervical cancer since September 2008 will be included in the expert review process who will review their...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (22 May 2018)

Simon Harris: The clinical advice from the HSE and the Department of Health is that there is no evidence that the clinical and technical aspects of CervicalCheck have performed outside or below international standards or the quality guidelines set for the programme. On 8 May, I established a Scoping Inquiry which is being undertaken by Dr Gabriel Scally in order to ascertain as quickly as...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Cervical Screening Programme Data (17 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Currently cervical smear testing is carried out by three laboratories: - Quest Diagnostics Inc, Teterboro, New Jersey USA; - MedLab Pathology Ltd, Dublin; and - Coombe Women and Infant’s University Hospital, Dublin. Approximately 50% of the testing is done in Ireland. All three laboratories meet quality assurance standards and are certified by the relevant national authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (17 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 190 together. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. Mortality from cervical cancer in Ireland is above the European average. In 2018 more than 90 Irish women will die from cervical cancer. According to the World Health Organisation, which has reviewed international evidence, there is a strong association between...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Cervical Screening Programme (16 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Documentation from 2016 that contained references to the cervical cancer clinical audit, and the outcomes therefrom, was not brought to my attention, or that of my predecessor, until its release last week. I received a briefing note in relation to a legal case which had been taken against MedLab/Clinical Pathology Laboratories Ltd, a company providing cytopathology for CervicalCheck, and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Cervical Screening Programme Data (16 May 2018)

Simon Harris: The HSE has advised that they will conclude the matching process with the National Cancer Registry in the next week in relation to women who were not part of the original CervicalCheck audit.   The Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position to provide any further information in relation to the number of women involved, until such time as this data matching process is...

Mandatory Open Disclosure: Motion (15 May 2018)

Simon Harris: ...speed and priority in terms of trying to legislate in this area. It is abundantly clear that the cases of women and families affected by the recent issues which have emerged in relation to the CervicalCheck screening programme raise very great issues of trust in our health service. Dealing with patients honestly and openly, including when errors and mistakes are made, is key to restoring...