Question from Deputy Edward Timmins - PQ 48296-26

To ask the Minister for Health the plans in place to ensure adequate oversight of the increase in the outsourcing of routine laboratory tests to commercial laboratories (In many instances all specimens arriving to the hospital laboratory from primary care are put to one side are collected by courier, brought to a commercial laboratory, tested and the results sent directly back to primary care. Within the HSE there is no record of the request, no record of the result just an invoice which is paid without adequate verification.); and if she will make a statement on the matter.