National screening lab resumes processing of CervicalCheck samples

The new laboratory, located in the Coombe Maternity Hospital, was established as part of the State’s response to a report by Dr Gabriel Scally on flaws in CervicalCheck.

The National Cervical Screening Laboratory has resumed processing CervicalCheck samples, the HSE has said.

The laboratory, which opened last December, had to pause sampling in March because accreditation documentation for the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) was not complete.

The new laboratory, located in the Coombe Maternity Hospital, was established as part of the State’s response to a report by Dr Gabriel Scally on flaws in CervicalCheck.

“We are pleased to announce that the processing of CervicalCheck screening samples will resume at the National Cervical Screening Laboratory at The Coombe Hospital from Tuesday, 24 October,” a spokeswoman said on Monday evening.

The move was welcomed by the chief executive of the National Screening Service, Fiona Murphy, and the Coombe Hospital Master, Professor Michael O’Connell. 

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Ms Murphy said: “We are confident of the quality assured work carried out at the National Cervical Screening Laboratory and delighted that, with the resumption of services, the laboratory can now begin building its volumes back up towards its target of 10% of all CervicalCheck programme slides.” 

Prof. O’Connell said: “Women in Ireland can be assured of the quality they are receiving from the National Cervical Screening Laboratory at The Coombe Hospital.” 

Since the pause was put in place, all samples taken in Ireland were being processed by Quest Diagnostics Inc in America.

During that time, the HSE said there were no changes to the way samples were processed with results going back to women “in the same way and within the usual timeframe".

It had been expected, before the pause, that the laboratory in Dublin would have built up to processing 10% of all samples taken in Ireland by the end of this year, with the remainder continuing to be processed in America.