Implementation update May 2021
Background
The Expert Reference Group (ERG) Reports on Interval Cancers in the BreastCheck, CervicalCheck and BowelScreen screened populations give recommendations and guidance for the future management of interval cancers in Ireland. These reports were commissioned as part of the Scally Review in 2018. The reports focus on the need to design interval cancer reviews (patient-requested and programmatic review) which support quality assurance within each programme and which are in line with international best practice.
To implement the recommendations of the ERG reports, a steering group and five subgroups have been established. The subgroups are CervicalCheck; BreastCheck; BowelScreen; Legal Framework; and Communications. The steering group communicate progress to the NSS Quality, Safety and Risk Management (QSRM) Committee and HSE management.
Membership of our groups is diverse, including representatives from patient and public advocacy groups, primary care, cancer screening experts, public health, legal experts, communication specialists, medical ethics and health economics.
May 2021 update
The programme subgroups are working closely with the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) and the NSS Strategic Planning Group. They are reaching out to screening communities internationally to achieve agreement on the definition of an interval cancer. Reaching this international consensus is the first step for us to be able to calculate, compare and benchmark our interval cancer rates.