Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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743. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the quality assurance process in the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital in respect of laboratory services for cervical screening; the engagements that he has had with the hospital regarding the issue of non-compliance, as referred to in Review of the Implementation of Recommendations of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme (details supplied); the current non-compliance issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59563/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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744. To ask the Minister for Health the engagements that he has had with the Medical Council regarding recommendation 33 of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme (details supplied), published in September 2018; the reason that this recommendation has not been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59564/22]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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745. To ask the Minister for Health if he will investigate claims that clinicians were refusing to treat patients with any association to a group (details supplied) as outlined in the Review of the Implementation of Recommendations of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme; if he will immediately engage with the Medical Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59565/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 744 and 745 together.

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”.

There were 170 actions in the Implementation Plan arising from Dr Scally's 58 recommendations, and these are now completed. There is further work ongoing which is integrated and mainstreamed into the usual and ongoing work programmes, governance structures and oversight reporting mechanisms in the Department, HSE and relevant bodies including the Medical Council.

Recommendation 33 was that "The Department of Health should enter into discussions with the Medical Council with the aim of strengthening the guide for registered medical practitioners so that it is placed beyond doubt that doctors much promote and practice open disclosure".

The action was marked as complete by the Department at the end of 2021, as the Department, through its ongoing engagement with the Medical Council, had received assurance that the guidance for registered medical practitioners was being reviewed and updated, and this work was in the Medical Council's business plan for 2022.

The Medical Council advise that their Guide for Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners is in the process of undergoing an extensive, scheduled review and has involved extensive public and stakeholder consultation and consideration of submissions. The recommendations from Dr Scally have been specifically considered by the Ethics Committee as part of this review, and the 9th edition of the Guide is due for publication in 2023.

The Medical Council is the independent regulatory body for doctors, it has a statutory role in protecting the public by promoting the highest professional standards amongst doctors practising in the Republic of Ireland. The Medical Council acts in the public interest, and can impose restrictions on a doctor’s registration, which would restrict or remove their right to practise medicine in Ireland.

Anyone can make a complaint to the Medical Council this includes members of the public, employers and other healthcare professionals. The Medical Council have advised that there are extremely limited grounds for a doctor to refuse to treat a patient and membership of a patient advocacy organisation is not one. The work of patient advocacy groups like 221+ Group, with whom the Medical Council has met, and many others, are vital to supporting patients, raising awareness, seeking change and improvements in our health systems. Patient advocacy groups play a vital role in our health system and should be supported in their work by all those involved in healthcare delivery and policy. Information on complaint options, the grounds of complaints the Council investigates, and how to make a complaint is available on the Medical Council website at medicalcouncil.ie.