James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 632: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide detailed scoring of the audit of breast cancer services carried out under the recent health information and quality review audit; the score achieved by the South Infirmary Hospital, Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29414/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Last June I approved National Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services under the Health Act 2007. The Standards were subsequently published by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). In September 2007, the Authority announced that it would carry out a national quality review of symptomatic breast disease services against the standards. HIQA has informed my Department that the objectives of the national quality review of symptomatic breast disease services are to: Assess current services against the standards with a view to highlighting key issues that need to be addressed in advance of transition to ensure patients are treated appropriately and safely; review the transition process to ensure key risk areas are identified and managed as services change; and identify where services are meeting the standards and highlighting good practice to be built on for the future.

The review is in two phases with an initial self assessment undertaken by the service providers themselves. Designated cancer centres are then subject to an on-site validation visit. It is important to note that while non-designated centres undertook self-assessments, the questions under relevant sections differed from those used with designated centres as appropriate. The self-assessment process does not result in a single, aggregate score.

Specifically in relation to South Infirmary, no audit has been undertaken. South Infirmary undertook a self-assessment, the results of which have not been validated. As a matter of course, the Authority does not publish information which has not been validated.

The process of on-site follow-ups with designated centres has just begun and will continue for the remainder of 2008 and into 2009. This process is part of a longer-term programme which will help provide assurance that the Standards are being met.