What we asked the HSE

The Irish Daily Mail put the following questions to the HSE yesterday

1: Did [HSE boss] Tony O’Brien know of the risks of outsourcing the cervical smear tests to the US?

2: He was a former boss of Cervical Check. What did he recommend, or what was his attitude at the time of the outsourcing of smear tests?

3: What is his view of outsourcing now?

4: Also, what potential sanctions could HSE persons or organisations face if in breach of their contractual duty?

5: What do their contracts require in terms of honesty/ disclosure for individuals? Could any suspected breach lead to a disciplinary process, and could dismissal be ultimately a sanction if anyone was found to have been involved in gross negligence or breach or contract or both?

6: Is it the case that the HSE could refer any one contractually obliged to it to the Medical Council in respect of any issue?

A spokeswoman for the HSE replied after 7.30pm last night.

‘Some of these issues in relation to the outsourcing were discussed at today’s press conference earlier. The HSE stated that there were significant quality assurance processes put in place with regard to the contract with each of the labs. Mr O’Brien today reiterated the necessity for those contracts to be put in place and the outsourcing to occur to the laboratory, and [has] reiterated his satisfaction with those original decisions.’