Establishment of National Cancer Screening Service board

BreastCheck welcomes the establishment of the National Cancer Screening Service.

This follows the Government’s decision to broaden the terms of reference of the former National Breast Screening Board. This will include the BreastCheck programme, the existing phase 1 Irish Cervical Screening Programme based in the mid-western area, and other potential cancer screening programmes.

Last year BreastCheck contributed to the Department of Health and Children’s Cancer Control Strategy 2006. The Strategy set out recommendations regarding the screening detection, treatment and management of cancer in Ireland in the coming years, including the establishment of a National Cancer Screening Service. The former National Breast Screening Board was dissolved on December 31, 2006 and a new Board, known as the National Cancer Screening Service Board, was established with effect from 01 January 2007.

Mr Tony O’Brien, Director of BreastCheck, has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the National Cancer Screening Service. Dr Sheelah Ryan, Chairperson of the National Breast Screening Board, has been appointed as Chairperson of the new National Cancer Screening Service Board with effect from January 1 2007. The Board consisting of 11 other members will soon be appointed by the Minister for Health and Children.

Tony O’Brien commented: “The governance, quality assurance, and business models developed by the National Breast Screening Board have been recognised as key to the success of the BreastCheck programme thus far. It is a logical development for this model to be extended to other screening domains. I look forward to this evolution and to building an organisation that is capable of managing multiple screening programme activities in the future. I am confident that it will be an effective and efficient way to organise cancer screening in Ireland.”

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