Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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791. To ask the Minister for Health the number of general practitioner services that have suspended CervicalCheck examinations since 1 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6702/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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General practice has continued to operate during the Covid-19 public health emergency and GPs are still seeing patients where necessary, albeit with infection-control measures in place. However, the exceptional circumstances faced by medical practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a change in how GP services are delivered.

The CervicalCheck programme are continuing to operate their services during the current level 5 restrictions, however they may have reduced capacity in the short-term. The National Screening Service (NSS) are notifying women that they do not need to book with their own GP and that a list of registered screeners and information on booking with alternative sample takers in their area is available on their website www.hse.ie/cervicalcheck

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.