IMO Responds to publication of Scally Report

Wednesday 12 September 2018. The IMO welcomes the publication of the Scally Report into Cervical Screening which gives all parties an opportunity to debate and consider the wide scope of the recommendations.

Dr Ina Kelly, Chair of the IMO Public Health and Community Health Committee said:

“In studying the report, our first thoughts obviously are for the women and families who have been directly impacted by this issue.  There is much to consider in the report particularly with regard to governance issues and the identified systematic failures.  We strongly support the reiteration of the importance of Screening Programmes and their value for wider population health. In the case of Cervical Check we encourage all women to continue to attend for routine screening and to avail of repeat screening if they have concerns.  We also have advocated for and support the expansion of the screening programme to include HPV testing so as to improve the scope of the services for women and we urge the Government and Department of Health to ensure that sufficient resources are put in place so as to inform patients and practitioners as to the limitations but nonetheless the importance of screening and what this new initiative encompasses.”

“We also very much welcome the recognition that  Specialists in Public Health Medicine “are accorded the same recognition as clinical colleagues” and need to take a leading role in the delivery of national screening programmes and that their expertise is essential and should be deployed across the screening services with significant roles.”

The IMO is committed to supporting measures that will lead to an effective and safe Cervical Screening Programme, and indeed all other Screening Programmes, recognising both the importance and limitations of screening.

Issued on behalf of the IMO by Gordon MRM

imo@gordonmrm.ie

Ray Gordon