US outsourcing deal for cervical smear tests signed

THE National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) confirmed that it has signed an initial two-year contract with Quest Diagnostics in the US to provide laboratory testing services for the national cervical screening programme.

The Health Service Authority (HSE) told the Oireachtas Health Committee that half of the capacity of the State’s cytology laboratories would not be required because of the outsourcing of smear tests to Quest.

Acting director of the HSE’s national hospitals office, Tom Finn, said there were 70 people working in the area and discussions would have to take place with the union around re-deploying some of the employees.