Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

425. To ask the Minister for Health the number of women that applied to join a group (details supplied) recently; the number that should have been included initially, that is, they met the criteria for joining; the reason they were not invited to join initially; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51651/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The 221+ Patient Support Group was set up in July 2018 to provide information, advice, and support to women who were found by the original CervicalCheck audit to have a discordant cytology result. 221+ has confirmed that women and next of kin identified as having discordant results through the RCOG Independent Review are also eligible for membership of that group. These were identified on completion of the RCOG review, as individual reports were communicated to women or their next of kin.

The Group is funded by my Department but is independent, and my Department does not hold details on the numbers who have applied to join.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

426. To ask the Minister for Health when the HPV test will be launched for women nationwide; the reason the September 2018 and 2019 deadline for same was missed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51652/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Funding to implement the switch to HPV screening was allocated in Budget 2019. The introduction of primary HPV screening is in line with developments in cervical screening internationally. Ireland will be among the first countries in the world to make this transition. The HSE has been engaging with other countries who have already made the switch – the Netherlands, and Australia - or who are preparing to do so, to identify learnings for the project across a range of workstreams including reconfiguration of laboratories, procurement, ICT and colposcopy services.

The HSE has committed to introducing HPV primary screening in Quarter 1 2020. While false negatives will continue to be an inherent part of screening, the introduction of HPV primary screening can be expected to reduce the number of false negatives. Together with HPV immunisation for both boys and girls, which is now in place, and good uptake of both screening and vaccination, it is a key element in ensuring that cervical cancer becomes a rare disease in Ireland.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

427. To ask the Minister for Health if, further to the review of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists into cervical cancer cases, he will request a review of colposcopy practices as outlined in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51653/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome the aggregate Report of the Independent Expert Panel Review led by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) which was published on 3 December.

The RCOG report finds the CervicalCheck programme is working effectively and crucially that women can have confidence in the programme. I note the findings of the RCOG report in which the Expert Panel noted that colposcopy is an integral component of any cervical screening programme, that colposcopy management was in line with standard practice in the vast majority of cases reviewed and that the Review Team has said that women can have confidence in colposcopy services and in the Programme overall.

The report makes recommendations in regard to colposcopy services, and I have written to the HSE to request that it take full account of these recommendations in the detailed work underway to prepare for the introduction of HPV primary screening, including colposcopy capacity planning.