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National Treatment Purchase Fund.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 June 2004

Wednesday, 23 June 2004

Questions (136)

Brian O'Shea

Question:

134 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of public patients who have received radiotherapy treatment in private facilities under the treatment purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18757/04]

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Written answers

The national treatment purchase fund, NTPF, was established to arrange treatment for those patients who have been waiting longest for surgery. As a result, it has not provided radiation oncology treatment to any patients.

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, in the shortest possible timeframe, they will 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 regard to the provision of cancer services in an acute setting.

I have provided resources to begin to implement the report's recommendations. 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.

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 will advise, inter alia, on the national co-ordination and delivery of existing and planned radiation oncology services, including agreeing quality assurance protocols and guidelines for the referral of public patients to private facilities. I expect the group to develop proposals in these important areas.

Questions Nos. 135 to 138, inclusive, answered with Question No. 132.
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