Written answers

Thursday, 31 January 2008

Department of Health and Children

Cancer Screening Programme

5:00 pm

Photo of Brian O'SheaBrian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 81: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the time frame for the roll-out of cervical cancer screening; the funding that has been set aside in 2008 for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2707/08]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The National Cancer Screening Service is planning to roll out the National Cervical Screening Programme on a national basis around the middle of this year. Women aged 25 to 44 years old will be screened every 3 years; women aged 45 to 60 will be screened every 5 years. The Service will be available free of charge to all eligible women. Approximately 230,000 women will be screened annually, assuming an 80% take up by eligible women.

All elements of the programme, call/recall, smear taking, laboratories, colposcopy and treatment services will be quality assured, organised and managed to deliver a single integrated national service. The Service is in the process of procuring quality assured internationally accredited laboratory capacity. The laboratories will be required to meet turnaround times of ten working days. This process is due to be completed by end March. In terms of smeartaker capacity, the Service completed a stakeholder consultation process in November 2007 and published a draft smeartaker contract for consultation in the first week of January this year. This consultation process will end on 28 February next and the actual smeartaker contract will be published shortly thereafter. The programme will be based on a turnaround time of four weeks for smear testing. The Service is also carrying out a baseline quality audit of existing clinical colposcopy services in the State to establish their fitness for purpose in the context of a national cervical screening programme.

Additional revenue funding of €5.0m was allocated to the Service in 2007 for the roll-out of the programme and an additional €15.0m has been allocated in 2008. An additional 30 posts have been approved to facilitate integration and roll-out of the programme.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.