Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the national retinopathy screening programme for Q4 2011 and Q1 2012; if the NCSS will issue a current status report for the diabetic retinopathy screening programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16042/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The HSE National Clinical Programme for Diabetes - which includes the care of children and adolescents with diabetes - is established within the Clinical Strategy and Programmes Directorate. This programme is supported by a multi-disciplinary team with representation from a number of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals, Podiatrists, GPs and the Diabetes Federation of Ireland.

The National Diabetes Working group is working through a number of key objectives; one of these is the development of a national diabetic retinopathy screening programme by the National Screening Programme (NCSS) - which was formally requested earlier this year by the HSE National Directorate of Clinical Strategy and Programmes to start the development of the retinopathy screening programme. This work has started, however, the development of the programme will inevitably prove protracted given the scale of the work involved in establishing such a new programme - especially given the fundamental principle that quality assured outcomes for diabetic patients is not compromised; and on this basis, it is not anticipated that it will be ready to start in the first quarter of 2012.