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SASKO LAZAROV/PHOTOCALL IRELAND.

All CervicalCheck samples to be tested in US after Irish lab has accreditation suspended

The National Cervical Screening Laboratory lost its accreditation due to “administrative delays”.

ALL CERVICALCHECK SAMPLES are to be tested by a US provider after the National Cervical Screening Laboratory at Coombe Hospital had its accreditation suspended this week due to “administrative delays”. 

A spokesperson for the hospital today stated that it regrets that, due to delays in completing paperwork with the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB), Coombe Hospital will not be accepting any further HPV and cytology samples. 

All CervicalCheck samples will tested by the programme’s “other quality assured provider”, Quest Laboratories in the US, “with no impact for the women who use the screening service”, according to the spokesperson for Coombe Hospital. 

They added that work is currently underway to fix the issue that led to their accreditation being suspended, and that the hospital is working with INAB to ensure the outstanding administrative issues are addressed “in the shortest possible timeframe”. 

The HSE has previously stated that it uses a lab provider in the US to test these samples because “there are not enough quality-assured labs in Ireland that meet our needs”. 

“We hold regular meetings with the laboratories to ensure they are operating to the required standard,” the service added. 

Free cervical screening tests are offered to all women in Ireland who are between 25 and 65 years of age. 

The HSE sends letters out to remind service users when their next test is due. 

Cervical screening is a procedure where a doctor or nurse takes a sample of cells from a person’s cervix. These are checked for infection with HPV types that known to increase the risk of cervical cancer. 

If HPV is found once CervicalCheck samples are screened, two experts examine the sample for abnormal cell changes. Follow up care is then arranged. 

The INAB told The Journal that it cannot comment on individual organisations and on “any changes to their scopes of accreditation”.

 

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    Mute Gerry Ryan
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    Sep 16th 2015, 12:13 PM

    Congrats to all and we’ll done to the crews. To all the scrotes out there who stone ambulances, think of this the next time you’re tempted. Unfortunately most of you can’t read, so this will fall on stupid ears.

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    Mute Stephen Ring
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    Sep 16th 2015, 12:16 PM

    I’d imagine fighting fires would be less terrifying than the birthing process tbh. Fair play to them.

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    Mute Seamus O' Tiomain
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    Sep 16th 2015, 12:15 PM

    Fair play to them, they look genuinely proud in their pictures, great job satisfaction for them and a credit to DFB

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    Mute lunadoran
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    Sep 16th 2015, 12:20 PM

    Even better than the realtin……

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    Mute Philip Cavanagh
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    Sep 16th 2015, 5:56 PM

    Excellent!!

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    Mute Robert Allen
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    Sep 16th 2015, 12:15 PM

    Well done lads

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Sep 16th 2015, 12:58 PM

    Well done lads but I’m waiting on the Waterford whispers exclusive “woman gives birth to own child”

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    Mute Magnus
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    Sep 16th 2015, 12:13 PM

    Do all firefighters routinely get training in such matters or do they have perhaps, one or two key personnel on the team trained to deal with something like this?

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    Mute Relevent?
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    Sep 16th 2015, 12:33 PM

    All DFB are qualified paramedics or advanced paramedics, great if you need to avail of them in Dublin

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    Mute Sharon Byrne
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    Sep 16th 2015, 12:35 PM

    As far as I know firefighters man the ambulances so would have paramedic training(some of them anyway). presumably it was the ambulance and therefore the paramedics/firefighters who were sent to these cases

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    Mute Al
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    Sep 16th 2015, 1:52 PM

    All DFB firefighters are trained to paramedic level, some are advanced paramedics. They rotate between fire and ambulance duties

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    Mute HRH The Brummie
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    Sep 16th 2015, 4:20 PM

    so just doing their job. HSE paramedics do this often enough without the publicity. fair play to them, but it’s their job.

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    Mute C.S
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    Sep 16th 2015, 2:22 PM

    Half a Siamese twin! Good man choppy!

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    Mute Mikeconnor
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    Sep 16th 2015, 1:06 PM

    Duffy has just cracked one off reading that!

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    Mute Fionn O' Neill
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    Sep 16th 2015, 5:27 PM

    Good man Ray!!!!

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    Mute Bleedin Rapid
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    Sep 16th 2015, 7:03 PM

    That’s the second baby by rathfarnham dfb in a few weeks!

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    Mute Martin Gallagher
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    Sep 16th 2015, 4:35 PM

    Good work DFB, always willing to protect and save those in need. Any thoughts on the economic value on this service Mr. Aaron Mc Kenna?

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    Mute Garreth Mc Mahon
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    Sep 16th 2015, 5:37 PM

    haha lenny. other blokes see your wife’s bits.

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    Mute Jacqueline McMahon
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    Sep 17th 2015, 12:04 AM

    You’re an idiot! That is all.

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