Michael Noonan
Question:99 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Health and Children the current status of BreastCheck for the western area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6911/04]
View answerWednesday, 3 March 2004
Questions (25, 26)
Brian O'Shea
Question:168 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the proposal lodged with his Department in June 2003 by BreastCheck to extend its services nationwide; the likely completion date for the rollout of BreastCheck; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7071/04]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 168 together.
The national breast-screening programme commenced in March 2000 with phase one of the programme covering the Eastern Regional Health Authority, Midland Health Board and the North Eastern Health Board region. Last year I announced the extension of the BreastCheck programme to Counties Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford and also the national rollout to the southern and western counties. The national rollout of BreastCheck requires detailed planning to include essential infrastructure.
The BreastCheck clinical unit in the western area will be at University College Hospital, Galway, with two associated mobile units. The area of coverage is Counties Galway, Sligo, Roscommon, Donegal, Mayo, Leitrim, Clare and Tipperary NR. The BreastCheck clinical unit in the southern area will be located at South Infirmary, Victoria Hospital, with three associated mobile units. Counties covered include Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford and Tipperary SR.
Two project teams, one in each region, have been established to develop briefs for the capital infrastructure needed for the static units in the south and west. For the southern region, the South Infirmary considered it necessary to commission a site strategy study to ensure the integration of the breast-screening service into the present and future development of the hospital. In 2003 my Department made available a capital grant of €230,000 for a study to be undertaken by professional architectural, engineering and quantity-surveying experts. It is expected that it will be completed in March or April 2004. As regards the west, BreastCheck submitted several options for the construction of a static unit on the grounds of University College Hospital, Galway. Those are being considered by my Department in the context of the framework for capital investment from 2004 to 2008, which is being discussed with the Department of Finance at present.
An essential element of the rollout of the programme is investment in education and training of radiographers. BreastCheck employs qualified and experienced radiographers who have specialist postgraduate training and qualifications related to mammography. BreastCheck and the symptomatic breast cancer services combined have a significant ongoing recruitment and training requirement in that area. I have announced the development of a training centre for radiographers and mammography at Eccles Street. Resources are being made available to BreastCheck to support that initiative, which will cost in excess of €750,000 and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2004.