HSE: Smear tests will continue

THE Health Service Executive last night said it had measures in place to ensure the screening of thousands of cervical smear tests of women in the south-east will continue to be carried out.

However, it refused to say what those measures were.

This follows a decision by University College Hospital Galway to discontinue the gynaecology cytology service for women in the south-east because it did not have enough staff due to the HSE staff freeze.

The Medical Scientists’ Laboratory Association said the Galway lab was short five staff since September, yet it had experienced a 25% workload increase in this year.

The HSE has not ruled out the possibility of sending the samples to America as it was forced to do with samples earlier this year.

Last night the HSE repeated it understood the National Cancer Screening Programme has confirmed to the Health Minister that a quality assured population-based cervical screening programme will be in place from January.