Hospital laboratory specialists have expressed concern over HSE plans to take testing for GPs and out-patient clinics away from public hospitals and have them performed in three new stand alone facilities, using the private sector.
At the Association of Clinical Biochemists' annual conference in Dublin its president Dr Alan Balfe said the proposal raises safety and quality issues.
The meeting also heard that the change could result in new fees for patients as GPs are not currently charged for having these tests conducted in hospitals.
Hospital laboratories perform over 58m tests each year at a cost of €330m.
The HSE is seeking to reduce the number of laboratories from 44 to 15.
Minister for Health Mary Harney told the conference that the current laboratory infrastructure was not up to standard and reform was needed.
