Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

817. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to fully implement the recommendations contained in reports (details supplied) and all other reports into CervicalCheck. [5165/22]

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

The Programme for Government commits to fully implement the recommendations contained in Dr Scally’s Report of the Scoping Inquiry, and all other reports into CervicalCheck. 

Significant progress has been made in implementing the recommendations and associated actions from Dr Scally's report. The Department of Health engages on an ongoing basis with the HSE and the National Cancer Registry of Ireland to oversee implementation the recommendations.

At the end of quarter three 2021, 164 of the 170 actions, arising from 58 recommendations, are completed. Work is well underway in completing the six remaining actions, which are all 'in progress'. The Department will publish the Quarter 4 2021 implementation report shortly. 

Since Quarter 1 2019, the Department of Health has been publishing quarterly progress reports on the implementation of the recommendations made in Dr Scally’s 2018 report; the full archive and previous quarterly progress reports are available on the Department of Health website.

Dr Scally last reported on the implementation of the recommendations of his Scoping Inquiry in April 2020. In this review report, Dr Scally says that substantial progress has been made, the vast majority of actions were on track or were completed, and he is satisfied with the approach and structures in place for implementation. In addition, the CervicalCheck Steering Committee, chaired by Professor Anne Scott, and which includes representatives from 221+ Group and patient advocates in its membership have a role in oversight of the implementation of the remaining recommendations.

I have asked Dr Gabriel Scally to conduct a final progress review of implementation of the recommendations of his Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck screening programme. Dr Scally has agreed it is now timely to conduct a final progress review and is commencing this work in January 2022.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

818. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to support the CervicalCheck Screening Programme and to promote the uptake of the HPV vaccine. [5166/22]

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

The Programme for Government commits to fully implement the recommendations contained in Dr Scally’s Report of the Scoping Inquiry, and all other reports into CervicalCheck.

Significant progress has been made in this regard. The Department of Health publishes quarterly progress reports on implementation of Dr Scally's recommendations, and at the end of quarter three 2021, 164 of the 170 actions, arising from 58 recommendations, are completed. Work is well underway in completing the six remaining actions, which are all 'in progress'. Dr Scally last reported on the implementation of the recommendations of his Scoping Inquiry in April 2020. In this review report, Dr Scally says that substantial progress has been made, the vast majority of actions were on track or were completed, and he is satisfied with the approach and structures in place for implementation. I have asked Dr Gabriel Scally to conduct a final progress review of implementation of the recommendations of his Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck screening programme. Dr Scally has agreed it is now timely to conduct a final progress review and is commencing this work in January 2022.

I am pleased to advise that despite the impact of COVID-19 on our health services, CervicalCheck is currently up to date with invites for screening. In addition, in 2021 there has been a significant uptake of cervical screening, ahead of their targets by 14%. During Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (17 – 23 January), CervicalCheck promoted how women can reduce their risk of this disease and the steps they can take to look after their health. CervicalCheck took this opportunity to highlight the importance of women over 50 accessing their services. They are continuing to promote such throughout this year and are planning targeted media campaigns for specific age groups and geographical locations to encourage women to attend. Further information can be found on the HSE website.

Regarding the current recorded uptake rate for the first dose of the HPV vaccine, in the 2020/2021 academic year, is 76%. The current recorded uptake rate for the second dose of the HPV vaccine in this academic year is 65%. It should be noted that some areas are yet to input some, or all, of their data for both dose 1 and 2 so these figures are expected to increase. The roll-out of the 2021/2022 HPV vaccination programme is underway and its delivery remains a priority for the HSE.

The HSE National Immunisation Office (NIO) promote HPV vaccine at key opportunities in order to achieve an increase in uptake rates. For example, during Cervical Cancer Prevention Week the NIO actively utilised social media to promote the facts surrounding HPV vaccination. In addition, when the immunisation school teams are offering the 2nd dose of HPV vaccine during this school term, the HSE will again support their work through campaigns using social and traditional media channels.

It may be of interest that the HSE has begun working with stakeholders and academics in Australia to develop a model to set a target date to work towards cervical cancer elimination in Ireland. We are in a fortunate position in Ireland to aim for this type of cancer to become a rare disease due to the combination of HPV vaccination programme and the CervicalCheck screening programme.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

819. To ask the Minister for Health the role of the liaison officers appointed to work with the persons affected by the CervicalCheck scandal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5167/22]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

820. To ask the Minister for Health if he will make the document concerning liaison officers for persons affected by the CervicalCheck scandal available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5168/22]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 819 and 820 together.

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

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

821. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details on the retrospective audit that will be offered for persons affected by the CervicalCheck scandal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5169/22]

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

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

822. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to involve persons and groups affected by failures of the State to provide proper healthcare such as a group (details supplied) in the development of the Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5170/22]

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

The Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019 provides the legislative framework for a number of important patient safety issues, including the mandatory open disclosure of a list of notifiable patient safety incidents and the notification of same externally to the Health Information and Quality Authority, Chief Inspector of Social Services and the Mental Health Commission, as appropriate, to contribute to national learning and system-wide improvements. This mandatory requirement for open disclosure will ensure that patients and their families receive appropriate timely information in relation to an incident that may have occurred in relation to their care.

The Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019 will also bring private hospitals within the remit of the Health Act 2007. The relevant provisions extend the remit of the Health Information and Quality Authority, allowing it to set standards for the operation of private hospitals, to monitor compliance with them and to undertake inspections and investigations as required. The Bill also contains provisions to support clinical audit within the health service.

The Bill was introduced into Dáil Éireann on the 12 December 2019 and passed Second Stage in the Dáil at that time. The Bill is a Programme for Government commitment and is expected to go to Dáil Committee stage in the near future, after which it will be progressed to Dáil Report Stage and through all Stages in the Seanad.

The Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019 is part of the broader programme of legislative and policy initiatives to improve the ability of the health service to anticipate, identify, and respond to patient safety issues, and to improve the quality and safety of health services for patients. Creating a culture of open disclosure and learning from the things that go wrong is the bedrock of making services safer.

The Department of Health is committed to ensuring and supporting the central role that patients play in working with the public health service to develop health policy and in designing and reforming health services. Patient representatives participate on a number of committees and working groups across the Department of Health, the HSE and health agencies, and make a significant contribution to the strategic decision-making work of those committees and groups, including members of the 221+ Group as part of the CervicalCheck Steering Committee.

In developing the Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019, which builds on the Civil Liability Amendment Act (2017), my Department has taken part in extensive stakeholder engagements, including with Dr Gabriel Scally and members of the 221+ Group. The intention behind these engagements is to ensure that the lessons learned from users of our health and social services inform the provisions of the Bill. This includes additional provisions made following consideration of recommendations made by Dr Gabriel Scally. These provisions place specific obligations on health services providers and health practitioners to ensure that all relevant information is provided to the patient and their family in the course of making an open disclosure of a notifiable incident.