Nolan welcomes plans to extend BreastCheck

Independent Offaly TD Carol Nolan has welcomed proposals to extend the BreastCheck screening programme, saying this was long overdue.

Deputy Nolan said Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has confirmed to her that the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) is progressing work to consider the expansion of cancer screening programmes, including the BreastCheck screening programme.

The proposal would see the age range eligibility for BreastCheck expanded to include those aged 45 to 49 years and those aged 70 to 74 years.

It is currently the case that only women aged 50 to 69 years are invited for screening.

Deputy Nolan said she raised the matter after she met with a number of female constituents, some of whom were below the age of 50 and who felt they should have access to the screening programme.

“This is very positive news for women in Offaly and indeed rural Ireland where access to GPs is getting more difficult by the week. That is why I welcome the minister’s confirmation to me that work is underway to expand the BreastCheck programme. This is the result of a very constructive engagement I had with the minister on this issue,” said Deputy Nolan.

“I am aware that NASC has now submitted a request to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to assess the evidence for a proposed expansion to the age range eligibility and that a decision will be made after the available international evidence and best practice guidelines are investigated. I understand that this is expected to commence later this year.”

Deputy Nolan added: “We all want the same outcome here. We want to ensure that our cancer screening services are reaching as many people as possible. Indeed, in that regard it has also been confirmed to me that HIQA is currently focused on the conclusion of two Health Technology Assessment (HTA) processes to examine a proposed age-range expansion for women and men to the BowelScreen programme and the potential development of a screening programme for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA).”

“Screening programmes play a vital role in cancer detection so we must ensure not only that they are as robust and as well staffed as possible, but also that they and the community support networks that surround them, such our own Dóchas Offaly Cancer Support Centre, are sufficiently well funded to enable the maximum number people to access them in a timely manner,” concluded Deputy Nolan.