More detail needed on changes to BreastCheck scheme

08 July 2020

Labour Party Leader and Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has said that more detail is needed on the decision to reduce the number of women who can receive BreastCheck exams every year.

Deputy Kelly said:

“The decision to decide to increase the waiting time for mammograms from two years to three will undoubtedly cause a lot of anxiety among women.

“If there is no clinical need to have a mammogram every two years, then why was the system set up in such a way that women receive these exams every two years?

“We have known about the plans to get screening services back uo and running for a number of weeks now, so why did this decision to extend the time between exams fly under the radar like this?

“We know that it is going to take a considerable amount of time to clear the backlogs that exist in Breastcheck but now the fact that women will have to wait longer in between exams will add to the anxiety women have been feeling about the resumption of screening services.

“We need clear advice now from the Head of Screening and the Chief Clinical Officer of the HSE on the clinical implications, how long it will take to clear the backlog and if they envision this change being long-term.”

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