HSE Deal With Private Hospitals Should Address Breastcheck Backlog – Howard

The Mayor of Clare believes the HSE’s capacity deal with private hospitals should include a mechanism to address the backlog of BreastCheck.

It’s estimated more than 150,000 women are waiting for a mammogram or a follow-up after cancelled appointments arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The HSE believes it could take up to three years to clear BreastCheck waiting lists, with a recent Department of Health report suggesting Clare’s cancer screening rates are now below the national average.

Ennis-based Fine Gael councillor Mary Howard says all methods of addressing the backlog here and elsewhere should be looked at.