Partnering with patients and the public to shape cancer screening services in Ireland
Improving access to breast, cervical and bowel screening
HSE National Screening Service
Ireland’s HSE National Screening Service is committed to working with patients and the public to design and improve breast, cervical and bowel screening. Through our Patient and Public Partnership, we are embedding this person-centred approach across our screening programmes. We are building trust, improving communication and making sure our screening programmes reflect the needs of the people they serve.
A person-centred approach to screening
We believe that screening services are stronger and more effective when they are shaped by the people who use them.
Since 2019, our Patient and Public Partnership (PPP) has played a vital role in making this vision a reality. Our members bring their lived experiences and unique perspectives to help us design, deliver and improve screening services that are accessible, equitable and person-centred.
What our PPP does
Our PPP members work alongside staff and clinical teams across all our screening programmes.
They:
- join committees and project teams including on equity, research and quality assurance
- help develop public information materials, from reviewing drafts to co-producing content
- bring real-world perspectives that help improve our screening programmes.
This partnership ensures that the patient voice is heard and reflected at every level of decision-making.
Watch Grace and Keith tell us about their experience of being part of our PPP in this testimonial video.
Growing our partnership
In 2024, we launched a recruitment campaign to grow and diversify our PPP. We wanted to make sure more voices from different backgrounds could shape our work.
Our campaign – co-produced with PPP members – was designed to make joining accessible and welcoming. We highlighted that members do not need specific experience, can choose how much time to give, and get support to take part.
We promoted the campaign through emails, social media, stakeholder packs, and media interviews, with PPP members themselves sharing their stories.
The results exceeded our goals:
- Membership: 14 new members joined, including 6 from diverse backgrounds, increasing our total membership to 39.
- Involvement: PPP members contributed to 67 projects and activities in 2024.
- Reach: The campaign achieved strong engagement online and in national media.
Advocates for screening
Our PPP members are not just partners – they are also advocates. By sharing their experiences, they encourage others to attend screening and show the difference it can make.
One of our members, Dympna Cremin, tells her story of how attending breast screening helped detect her cancer early: “I’m very grateful my cancer was found early. I attribute that solely to BreastCheck. As far as I’m concerned, screening saved my life.”
Stories like Dympna’s highlight the real-world impact of screening and help others feel informed, reassured and motivated to take part.
Watch Dympna’s story.
Shaping the future together
Patient and public partnership is central to how we design and deliver our cancer screening services. We are putting people at the centre of everything we do. It’s part of our wider commitment to equity, engagement and person-centred care.
We are building screening programmes that are more trusted, more inclusive and more effective by working side by side with people. And by sharing what we learn, we hope to support others across Europe to strengthen patient partnership in their own services.
Ireland has 5 priority areas for improving equity in screening. Priority Area 3 is about partnership and we are applying learning from this and our Patient and Public Partnership to Work Package 6 (addressing barriers and facilitators in cancer screening) of the EUCanScreen project.
Find out more about our work to improve equity in screening: hse.ie/equityinscreening
- Follow the HSE National Screening Service on X @NSShse, on LinkedIn and follow the hashtag #ChooseScreening
- The National Screening Service is part of Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE). Keep up to date with our latest news at screeningservice.ie
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s EU4HEALTH Programme under the Grant Agreement no 101162959
