St James’s is the national referral centre for adult inherited cancer genetics. Patients are referred from general practitioners, regional hospitals and cancer centres for cancer genetic counselling, risk assessment, and genetic testing.
The testing provider would be responsible for subcontracting a courier service to track the sending and receipt of genetic testing kits; processing of the sample for cancer genetic testing; bioinformatics and data analysis and result outcome; and confidentiality of information submitted to the online portal to order the test.
As of early 2025, more than 2,600 adults nationally were awaiting a genetics outpatient appointment, with more than 750 waiting more than 18 months.
- Genetic counsellors are healthcare professionals who provide support to those who are at risk for or affected by a
ninherited cancer condition. - Genetic counselling is not officially recognised by the HSE. This is challenging because it restricts access to genetic services.
- 90% of genetic cancers go undetected.
- The work of genetics counsellors is vital in improving identification of inherited cancer and
cancerprevention. Currently there is an 80% deficient in GC resources in cancer care
Lynch Syndrome Ireland 