Brian O'Shea
Question:131 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients who have to leave the south eastern region for radiotherapy treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18754/04]
View answerWednesday, 23 June 2004
Questions (129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135)
Written answers
The provision of hospital services for people living in the south-eastern region is a matter for the South-Eastern Health Board. My Department has therefore asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate this matter and to reply directly to the Deputy.
Brian O'Shea
Question:132 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether the fact that patients from the south eastern region having to leave their region in order to obtain radiotherapy treatment is in accordance with the ideal cancer centre at which the three treatment modalities are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18755/04]
View answerBrian O'Shea
Question:133 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children the way in which he proposes to provide radiotherapy treatment for public patients based on equity regardless of location when distance to travel is taken into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18756/04]
View answerBrian O'Shea
Question:135 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the fact that the ideal cancer site is one where three modalities of treatment are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18758/04]
View answerBrian O'Shea
Question:136 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason for downgrading St. Luke’s Hospital, Dublin, which has one of the treatment modalities for cancer, that is, radiotherapy, in favour of two new centres in Dublin where the three modalities are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18759/04]
View answerBrian O'Shea
Question:137 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the fact that international best practice for cancer treatment involves the three modalities of treatment being available on one site, that gives a 20% improvement in outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18760/04]
View answerBrian O'Shea
Question:138 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the funding which has been made available for designated transport and accommodation for public patients regarding the sub-committee on radiotherapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18761/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 132, 133 and 135 to 138, inclusive, together.
The Government's objective is to provide a model of cancer care which ensures that patients with cancer receive the most appropriate and best quality of care regardless of their place of residence. In order to achieve this objective, an integrated and co-ordinated approach is required, which encompasses prevention, screening, cancer treatment — including medical, surgical and radiation oncology — education, training and research.
As the Deputy is aware, I launched the Report on The Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland in October last year. Its recommendations have been accepted by Government. The group which prepared the report formulated guidelines for the development of additional radiation therapy facilities as follows: a sufficient patient population should exist within a proposed catchment area to support the future development of a radiation oncology service; a radiation oncology service should enable maximum patient access to the highest quality service; other clinical specialties and support services that enable the appropriate function and development of a radiation oncology centre and/or supra-regional cancer centre should exist on the site; radiation oncology must be part of organised multi-disciplinary cancer care; a radiation oncology service should take account of patient groups with special needs; a radiation oncology service should develop links between those hospitals providing radiation oncology care and other hospitals involved in the provision of cancer care but without physical treatment facilities; and where radiation oncology facilities are not available on site, it will be important to provide appropriate outreach services particularly through the development of joint clinical and other appointments between hospitals and/or health boards. I am satisfied that the application of these guidelines in the development of radiation oncology services as part of a multi-disciplinary cancer service will best ensure that cancer patients have access to the highest quality of care.
The Government has agreed that a major programme is now required to rapidly develop clinical radiation oncology treatment services to modern standards and that the first phase of the programme will be the development of a clinical network of large centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway. The development of these centres as a clinical network is of paramount importance and will, in the shortest possible timeframe, begin to address the profound deficit in radiation oncology services that has been identified in the report. The implementation of the report's recommendations is my single most important priority in cancer services in the acute setting.
The Government has also decided that in the future development of services consideration should be given to the efficacy of developing satellite centres at Waterford, Limerick and the north-west. Such consideration will take into account the international evaluation of satellite centres, the efficacy of providing this model and the need to ensure quality standards of care.
I have provided resources to begin to implement the report's recommendations. Specifically, I have approved the purchase of two additional linear accelerators for the supra-regional centre at Cork University Hospital, CUH, and the necessary capital investment amounting to over €4 million to commission this service as rapidly as possible. In 2004, €1 million ongoing revenue funding is being made available for this development which will improve services for cancer patients in the Southern, Mid-Western and South Eastern Health Boards. Approval has recently issued for the appointment of an additional two consultant radiation oncologists with sessional commitments to the South-Eastern and Mid-Western Health Boards. The capital project team in the Southern Health Board is working in conjunction with my Department to plan for the expansion from four to eight linear accelerators in the medium term.
In relation to the supra-regional centre at University College Hospital Galway, UCHG, a new radiotherapy unit has been constructed and is currently being commissioned. In 2004, €2.5 million ongoing revenue funding is being made available. Approval has recently issued for the appointment of an additional consultant medical oncologist and three consultant radiation oncologists, two of whom have sessional commitments to the North Western and Mid-Western Health Boards. I have requested the Western Health Board to prepare a development control plan to facilitate the expansion from three to six linear accelerators in the medium term. The capital project team is working in conjunction with my Department to develop a brief for this expansion.
The immediate developments in the south and west will result in the provision of an additional five linear accelerators. This represents an increase of approximately 50% in linear accelerator capacity. As already outlined, I have provided for the appointment of an additional five consultant radiation oncologists. Recruitment for these posts is under way. We currently have ten consultant radiation oncologists nationally. This will result in a significant increase in the numbers of patients receiving radiation oncology in the short term. These appointments are specifically designed to offer patients in areas such as the south-east and mid-west equity of access to radiation oncology services that are in line with international best practice.
The report recommends that there should be two treatment centres located in the eastern region, one serving the southern part of the region and adjacent catchment areas and one serving the northern part of the region and adjacent catchment areas. I have asked the chief medical officer of my Department to advise on the optimum location of radiation treatment facilities in Dublin. A detailed request for submissions is being finalised at present. The chief medical officer will apply the guidelines established by the group and will be supported by the hospital planning office and international experts.
With regard to the Deputy's reference to St. Luke's Hospital, I wish to assure the House that I am committed to protecting its distinct ethos and to ensuring that its expertise plays a key role in the development programme I have outlined.
As recommended in the report, I have established the National Radiation Oncology Co-ordinating Group. The group comprises clinical, technical, managerial, academic and nursing expertise from different geographic regions. The group's remit encompasses recommending measures to facilitate improved access to existing and planned services, including transport and accommodation. I expect the group to develop proposals in these important areas.