James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the negative impact recent changes to the CervicalCheck screening programme are having on women's access to the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45900/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Deputy may be referring to CervicalCheck's move on 1 September 2009 to a call-recall system of invitation to screening. This move is in line with best international practice. It will ensure that an effective and efficient approach to cervical screening is maintained and that the essential target uptake of 80 per cent is achieved. In particular, the call-recall system allows CervicalCheck to target women in low-uptake cohorts for participation in screening.

In addition to the call-recall system, there is a fast-track opt-in facility for any woman aged 25 to 60 who has not had a smear test in three years or more. Such women can opt-in online, by phone or by post. Over 30,000 letters of invitation have been issued in response to opt-in requests since September. The current waiting time for such an invitation is three weeks. There are additional exemptions to invitation-only screening, including women over the age of 60 who have never had a smear test and women (regardless of age) undergoing colposcopy treatment follow-up. Women who have already availed of a CervicalCheck smear test are now part of an appropriate and organised screening cycle and will be automatically advised by the Programme when their next smear test is due.