About us

The National Cancer Screening Service

About the National Cancer Screening Service

The National Cancer Screening Service was established by the Minister for Health and Children in January 2007. The establishment followed the launch of a Strategy for Cancer Control in Ireland 2006, which advocates a comprehensive cancer control policy programme in Ireland. The Strategy examines prevention, screening, detection, treatment and management of cancer in Ireland in the coming years.

The former Board of the National Cancer Screening Service undertook to:

• carry out or arrange to carry out a national breast screening service for the early diagnosis and primary treatment of breast cancer in women;
• carry out or arrange to carry out a national cervical cancer screening service for the early diagnosis and primary treatment of cervical cancer in women and;
• advise on the benefits of carrying out other cancer screening programmes where a population health benefit can be demonstrated;
• advise the Minister, from time to time, on health technologies, including vaccines, relating to the prevention of cervical cancer; and
• implement special measures to promote participation in its Programmes by disadvantaged people.

Statutory Instrument

The National Cancer Screening Service Board was established by the Minister for Health  and Children in January 2007. The parameters are set out in The Statutory Instrument (S.I. no. 632 of 2006). The National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) was established and aims to maximise expertise across programmes and improve efficiency by developing a single governance model for cancer screening.

National Cancer Screening Service currently encompasses

BreastCheck - The National Breast Screening Programme and

CervicalCheck - The National Cervical Screening Programme

For more information please visit www.cancerscreening.ie

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