BowelScreen,
BreastCheck
and CervicalCheck
are
cancer screening programmes organised by the
Health Service Executive (HSE) in the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...
.
BowelScreen
BowelScreen is the national
bowel cancer screening
Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel mo ...
programme.
It was launched in November 2012 by
Minister for Health James Reilly, with the eventual aim of providing bi-annual screening to men and women aged 55–74.
BreastCheck
BreastCheck is the national
breast cancer screening
Breast cancer screening is the medical screening of asymptomatic, apparently healthy women for breast cancer in an attempt to achieve an earlier diagnosis. The assumption is that early detection will improve outcomes. A number of screening tests ...
programme.
It was initially founded under
Micheál Martin's tenure as
Minister for Health and Children
The Minister for Health ( ga, An tAire Sláinte) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Health. The Minister for Health is responsible for healthcare in the Republic of Ireland and related services.
The c ...
in October 2000 as a pilot in a limited number of
health boards
NHS Scotland, sometimes styled NHSScotland, is the publicly funded healthcare system in Scotland and one of the four systems that make up the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. It operates 14 territorial NHS boards across Scotland, ...
.
Over 70% of the women invited to take part in the screening in the first year, accepted.
CervicalCheck
CervicalCheck is the national
cervical screening
Cervical screening is the process of detecting and removing abnormal tissue or cells in the cervix before cervical cancer develops. By aiming to detect and treat cervical neoplasia early on, cervical screening aims at Preventive healthcare#Seconda ...
programme.
It was launched in September 2008 as the public name of the National Cancer Screening Service.
In May 2008, then Chief Executive Officer Tony O'Brien dismissed claims that misdiagnoses would result from the use of
US-based lab
Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics is an American clinical laboratory. A Fortune 500 company, Quest operates in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Brazil. Quest also maintains collaborative agreements with various hospitals and clinics across the globe. ...
.
2018
On 26 April 2018, the HSE confirmed that 206 women developed cervical cancer after having a screening test which was subsequently deemed to be potentially inaccurate on lookback, once a woman presented with a confirmed diagnosis of Cervical Cancer and given the known limitations of screening using smear technology.
In May, HSE director-general Tony O’Brien took temporary leave of absence from the board of a US medical company amid renewed calls for him to stand aside from his position due to the ongoing controversy. Tony O'Brien announced his resignation as director-general of the HSE with effect from close of business on 11 May.
References
Cancer screening
Healthcare in the Republic of Ireland
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