Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 192: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason a decision was taken by the National Cancer Screening Service to outsource specialised cervical screening to an American company (details supplied); the implications this will have for laboratory services here and other allied health services that have been providing a quality service in the absence of a national screening programme; and the measures her Department is taking to promote job creation here in this particular sector. [21057/08]

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

The National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) will shortly implement a quality assured national population based screening programme, so that unnecessary deaths from cervical cancer among women can be avoided. The (NCSS) have announced a preferred bidder for the provision of laboratory testing services for the National Cervical Screening Programme. This is an important milestone which will enable the NCSS to launch the first quality assured, population based National Cervical Screening Programme for women in Ireland aged 25-60 years.

The Deputy will appreciate that quality is a critical requirement of the new programme in the context of patients' best interests. In keeping with EU procurement legislation, the procurement process is being conducted in an open and competitive manner. Submissions were invited from local and international laboratories during the process. Quality standards formed the key measurement criteria and there were strict quality criteria/accreditation required. The necessary entry criteria in choosing a cytology partner also included a laboratory dealing with a volume of a minimum of 25,000 smears per annum. These criteria were chosen in line with international acceptable criteria for cervical screening programmes. The NCSS has concluded that the preferred bidder can deliver a service that meets all of the required quality criteria. The initial contractual period with laboratories will be for a two year period.

The HSE has undertaken a review of its laboratory medicine services. I welcome steps that are being taken by certain HSE funded laboratories to secure accreditation. I believe that if all those involved work together in partnership there is scope to provide high quality and cost effective services within HSE funded laboratories. The National Hospitals Office (NHO) of the HSE has a commitment to staff currently employed in cytology services, and has met with their representative. Any decisions regarding reassignment of employees will be addressed after the National Cancer Screening Service has completed the procurement process for cytology services.