Written answers

Tuesday, 29 January 2019

Department of Health

Cancer Screening Programmes

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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436. To ask the Minister for Health the number of repeat cervical smear tests conducted since May 2018 that are now invalid owing to delays in assessing them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4339/19]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware of the current delay in processing smear tests, which is a priority concern for me, for my Department and for the HSE. In May 2018, I asked CervicalCheck to make the necessary arrangements to provide that any woman who had had a CervicalCheck smear test, and whose GP considered that they should have a further test, to access such a further test without charge. This decision was made in good faith to address the considerable fears of the many anxious women in Ireland as a result of significant media coverage of the issues that emerged in late April.

In the months since then, there has been a significant increase in the volume of women presenting for smear tests. This includes women who have availed of the out of cycle tests, but also a greater number of women presenting for scheduled screening. The HSE is working to source additional capacity to manage this backlog, notwithstanding global challenges with cytology capacity and resources, and is also working closely with the laboratories in maximising their capacity to deal with the demand. It is important to be clear that this issue will take some time to resolve.

Some women will require to have their test repeated where there were delays in the technical fixing of the slide, a step which must be completed within six weeks of the smear being taken, or where the vail used to contain the sample expires. The HSE has advised that, from April to October 2018, there was a 0.29% rate of expired samples and vials. This is very similar to the same period in 2017 when it was 0.25%. The HSE advises that there are procedures in place to deal with this issue as and when it arises.

Where low grade changes are detected on a cervical smear test, a second test which looks for the HPV virus is then carried out. The Deputy will be aware that a separate issue has arisen in relation to this secondary HPV test. The HSE has advised that some HPV tests carried out by Quest Laboratories have been performed outside of the manufacturer’s recommended timeframe. The clinical advice is that this issue poses a very low clinical risk to women; however, as a precaution, affected women will be offered a repeat test to provide them with reassurance. It is expected that up to 6,000 women will be invited for a repeat test. The HSE is working to finalise arrangements to communicate with these women.

In relation to the specific number of smear tests which have been repeated or require to be repeated, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.

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