Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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608. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the HSE has refused to publish the external service review into missed radiology scans at University Hospital Kerry; if the HSE will publish the review; if he has read the review or is aware of its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62927/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department was notified by the HSE in September 2017 of this patient safety issue, where cases of misdiagnosis / failure to diagnose occurred at University Hospital Kerry Radiology Department and the commencement of the look-back review. My Department received regular updates on the progress of the review, including the publication of the report in December 2018. The Review covers 46,234 scans and identified 11 patients who had a delayed diagnosis due to misreading of their scans.

The HSE and South/Southwest Hospital Group have provided assurance to my Department regarding implementation of the hospital and hospital group recommendations. The national recommendations have also been progressed by the Faculty of Radiologists, RCSI.

Recommendation 6.4 from the Look-back Review Report, recommended the commissioning of an external review of the management of the radiology department in University Hospital Kerry. My Department was informed that the intention of this review was to focus on the working of the department, to identify and make recommendations so that the work environment is improved and that recruitment efforts are effective.

The external service review is an operational matter for the HSE. In that regard, I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for direct reply.