Meeting details
Date of meeting
Monday 11th December 2023
Time of meeting
3pm to 5pm
Meeting format
MS Teams meeting
Members present
Dr Deirdre Mulholland (DM, Chair), Ms Mary Hewson (MH), Mr Damian Nee (DN), Prof Fergus O’Kelly (FO’K), Ms Margaret Brennan (MB) Dr Alissa Connors (AC), Dr Caroline Mason Mohan (CMM), Ms Lorraine Schwanberg (LS), Dr Jennifer Martin (JM)
Apologies
Ms Helen Kavanagh (HK)
In attendance
Dr Noirin Russell (NR), Ms Colette Brett (CB), Ms Suzanne Lynch (SL), Ms Grainne Gleeson (GG), Ms Hilary Coffey (HC), Mr Stephen O’Brien (SoB), Ms Niamh McNamara (NMcN), Ms Michelle Lynch (ML), Ms Therese Mooney (TM), Ms Karolina Guzek (minutes)
Meeting minutes
1. Welcome, introduction and apologies
The Chair welcomed all members and formally introduced Dr Jennifer Martin, Public Health Representative and HSE Clinical Lead Quality Patient Safety Intelligence, who joined the Committee in Q2 2023 and accepted Deputy Chair function.
The Chair also acknowledged that Prof Fergus O’Kelly will be stepping down from the QSRM Committee Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) Representatives’ function after today’s meeting and thanked him for five years of commitment, hard work and engagement.
Apologies were noted.
2. Conflict of interest
There was no conflict of interest to be noted.
Action: Noted
3. Minutes of meeting 13th September 2023
Minutes of the previous meeting were reviewed and approved by the Committee.
Action: Noted
4. NSS Quality, Safety & Risk (QSR) Information report
NSS Quality, Safety and Risk Review Q3, 2023
- 2023 Q3 report presented and acknowledged.
NSS Corporate Risk Register Report Q3, 2023
- 2023 Q3 report presented and acknowledged.
- The risks on the corporate risk register were reviewed. NSS risk registers are reviewed at a minimum quarterly. The report shared with the QSRM Committee is retrospective. New risks are added following discussion and agreement by senior management to the NSS corporate risk register with relevant specific risks also included on programmes local risk registers.
- MH queried whether the population increase in Ireland is seen as a risk for screening. CMM assured eligible population is reviewed annually by each of the programmes.
Quality, Safety and Risk Dashboard Report Q3, 2023
- 2023 Q3 Dashboard reviewed and acknowledged.
NSS Quality Assurance Governance
- Flowchart reviewed and acknowledged.
Action: Noted
5. Cross-programme review
BreastCheck Programme Review Q3, 2023
- Report reviewed and acknowledged
CervicalCheck Programme Review Q3, 2023
- Report reviewed and acknowledged
- It was noted by the Committee the programme is below proposed targets due to drop in eligibility as a result of the different re-call strategies following the introduction of HPV screening; however, programme management is confident in the figures predicted for 2024.
Action 52: GG and CMM to share further information on CervicalCheck target and estimated numbers for 2024.
BowelScreen Programme Review Q3, 2023
- Report reviewed and acknowledged
DiabeticRetina Screen Programme Review Q3, 2023
- Report reviewed and acknowledged
Action: Noted
6. Comparison of screening policies across international cancer screening programmes
As requested by the Committee, TM from Programme Evaluation Unit gave a presentation on Comparison of Screening Policies across International Cancer Screening Programmes taken from information available publicly.
The differences between international policies and screening practices across all cancer screening programmes were highlighted to members. There is a clear governance in NSS regarding the decision-making process around screening practices such as age cut-off which includes, expertise of relevant programme Clinical Advisory Groups and National Screening Advisory Committee and, when relevant, Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Health Technology Assessments.
Action 53: “Comparison of Screening Policies across International Cancer Screening Programmes” presentation to be shared with members for information.
Action 54: Update regarding governance around the decision-making process within BowelScreen to be shared by HC.
Action 55: Information regarding health promoting event in Country Clare planned for April to be brought to the attention of NSS Public Health and Communications teams.
Action: Noted
7. NSS stakeholders update
The National Screening Service stakeholders’ updates were shared for noting.
Improving Equity in Screening - A Strategic Framework 2023-2027 was shared for noting.
Action 56: NSS Public Health team representative to be invited for Q1 2024 meeting to do a presentation on recently published Improving Equity in Screening - Strategy Framework document (circulated to the Committee members in Q4 2023 meeting pack).
Action: Noted
8. Interval cancer steering committee update
Interval Cancer Project: Close-out Report was shared with Committee members for noting.
Action: Noted
9. Patient Safety (notifiable incidents and Open Disclosure) Act, 2023
Patient Safety Act Part 5 review workstream comprising of representatives from HSE Acute services, HSE National Quality and Patient Safety Directorate, NSS programme and functions and patient representatives is scheduled to meet on a monthly basis to work on implementing the Act. Committee requested bi-annual updates on implementation work progress.
Action: Noted
10. Actions update
All actions reviewed and updated on the Action Log.
Action: Noted
11. QSRM Committee Objectives for 2024
NSS Quality, Safety and Risk proposed objectives for 2024 were discussed and approved. JM offered sharing relevant documents relating to Quality Assurance with Head of QSR, NSS for information.
CB informed the Quality, Safety and Risk Management Annual Report will be produced for 2023 and circulated to the Committee members for next meeting and it was noted that the Report will be produced annually going forward.
Action 57: CB to offer induction to all new QSRM Committee members and to ensure all existing NSS Quality Assurance related documents are available to members for information.
12. Proposed Calendar of Events 2024
Proposed schedule of the Committee meetings for 2024 was shared with members and placeholders to be circulated shortly, upon confirming with the Chair.
Action: noted
13. Any other business
Once again, Chair and the Committee members recognised Prof Fergus O’Kelly’s contribution and thanked him for his expertise and commitment.
Action 58: A formal letter requesting Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) representative to be sent to the ICGP Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Committee members welcomed the idea of in-person meeting and same to be arranged for Q2 meeting in June 2024.
Action: noted
14. Date of next meeting
Next meeting TBC
Action: noted