2668. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Health if she will consider the expansion of the endometriosis surgery abroad interim scheme, to include the Wellington Hospital Centre for Endometriosis, London, and other proven centres in Britain, Romania, and Greece, without delay, and that patient experience be meaningfully reflected in these decisions. [23755/26]

The list of approved centres abroad for the Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme (ESAIS) has been developed by the HSE's National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP).

NWIHP has advised that patient safety and the provision of high-quality care are priority considerations. The approval process focused on identifying centres which meet international standards of clinical excellence.

The HSE has established a Clinical Advisory Group (CAG) that includes international expertise. One of the roles of the CAG is to assess clinics for possible inclusion in order to extend the list of approved centres under the Scheme.

The CAG has agreed criteria to assess other centres for possible addition to the list of approved centres. The criteria align with international accreditation requirements such as those required for recognition by the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE) or the awarding of a Euro EndoCert by the European Endometriosis League (EELs), based in Germany.

Centres in France, Greece, the UK and Romania are being assessed under this process. A centre may be considered if it achieves the quality and safety requirements of BSGE or EELs even if it has not received formal international accreditation standards. This process may entail site visits or other engagements with the centres for approval. Once the CAG recommends the addition of a service to the approved list of centres for surgery via the ESAIS, the live list on the HSE website is updated to reflect this addition.