Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 71: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the efforts she is making to increase diagnostic services in primary care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15502/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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In November 2005, a sub-committee of the HSE's National Primary and Community Care Reform Working Group was established to review the current status of GP access to diagnostics; to explore current and potential capacity; and make short, medium and long-term recommendations.

I am advised that work is being undertaken at present to progress two specific initiatives. One is the development of a service to facilitate the transportation of diagnostic specimens from GP surgeries to laboratories. The key objective of this initiative is to increase the current national provision of such a service from 36% to 60% of the population in 2006. Implementing this initiative requires examination of existing and development capacity of transportation and laboratory services, together with the development of joint protocols to encompass delivery of the service. The HSE has indicated that this work is in progress.

The other initiative is the development of a radiology-ultrasound initiative. The key objective of this initiative is to reduce waiting times for GP referrals nationally to a maximum of four weeks for plain film X-rays and eight weeks for ultrasound tests. There are a number of complex factors to be considered in order to meet this objective. These relate to capacity of the current services, the use of both public and private providers, infrastructure, hours of service and engagement arrangements.

The HSE has established a governance group to oversee the implementation of these initiatives. In addition to these specific initiatives, the group will also be progressing other medium and longer-term recommendations in relation to referral guidelines; and developing diagnostic capacity at primary and community service level to reduce the reliance on the acute sector and to enhance clients' experiences of diagnostic services and their outcomes.