Hospital Services

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Questions (199, 200)

Sean Sherlock

Question:

199 Deputy Seán Sherlock asked the Minister for Health and Children if an appointment for surgery is being expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29342/10]

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Written answers

Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney)

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Question No. 200 answered with Question No. 189.

Chris Andrews

Question:

201 Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Health and Children the timeframe for the transfer of assets and equipment from St. Luke’s Hospital, Dublin 6, to the Health Service Executive; the future plans for this equipment; the names of the members of the Hollywood Committee and their professions; if there was any patient input into which hospitals should be designated as cancer centres of excellence; and the reason St. Luke’s was not chosen as a centre of excellence. [29353/10]

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Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney)

The HSE's National Cancer Control Strategy, which was launched in 2006 set out the future framework for delivery of cancer treatment in Ireland. It also endorsed the National Plan for Radiation Oncology (NPRO) which had been approved by Government in 2005. This Plan was based on the recommendations in The Report on the Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland, otherwise known as the Hollywood Report, which was published in 2003. This recommended that there should be two centres in the East in order to cater for radiotherapy needs.

Extensive consultation formed part of the Group's deliberations in producing the Hollywood Report. A study was commissioned to investigate patient priorities in the development of new radiation oncology services. The aim was to ensure that future service developments would be based on best practice and sensitive to patient needs, preferences and priorities. The study included a series of focus groups and a postal questionnaire, sent by random sample to all major cancer groups who had completed their first course of radiotherapy.

The Members of the Expert Working Group on Radiation Oncology Services, which produced the 2003 Hollywood Report, are listed below.

Name	Organisation	Position
Prof. Donal Hollywood (Chair)	St. Luke’s Hospital, Trinity College	Professor of Clinical Oncology
Dr John Armstrong	St. Luke’s Hospital	Consultant Radiation Oncologist
Ms Mary Coffey	Trinity College Dublin	Director, School of Radiation Therapy
Dr Harry Comber	National Cancer Registry	Director, National Cancer Registry
Dr Tom Conere	Cork University Hospital	Chief Physicist
Mr Joseph Cregan	Department of Health and Children	Principal Officer
Ms Yvonne Davidson	Cork University Hospital	Business Manager, Division of Oncology
Dr Ruth Eakin	Northern Ireland Cancer Centre	Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Dr Liam Grogan	Beaumont Hospital	Consultant Medical Oncologist
Mr Wilfrid Higgins	Department of Health and Children	Engineering Advisor
Dr Tony Holohan	Department of Health and Children	Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Dr Maurice Hurley	Cork University Hospital	Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Ms Joan Kelly	Irish Cancer Society	Nursing Services Manager
Dr Marie Laffoy	Eastern Regional Health Authority	Director of Public Health
Ms Eileen Maher	St Luke’s Hospital	Director of Nursing
Dr Brendan McClean	St Luke’s Hospital	Chief Physicist
Dr Regina McQuillan	St Francis Hospice	Consultant Palliative Care Physician
Dr Aiden Meade	Irish College of General Practitioners	General Practitioner
Dr Seamus O’Cathail	Cork University Hospital	Consultant Radiation Oncologist
Dr Bernadette O’Keefe	Department of Health and Children	Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Ms Ber Ryan	Aid Cancer Treatment (ACT)	Patient Advocate
Dr Sheelah Ryan	Western Health Board	Chief Executive Officer
Mr Gordon Watson	South Eastern Health Board	Consultant Surgeon

*Organisational attachments are as applicable at the time of completion of the report.

Following publication of the Hollywood Report, the Chief Medical Officer was asked by the then Minister for Health and Children to advise on the location of radiation oncology services in the Eastern Region. A panel of national and international experts was established to assist in the process. A request for proposals for the development of radiation oncology services in the Eastern Region was issued to six hospitals in Dublin. The document set out the evaluation criteria against which the proposals would be assessed. Six hospitals submitted proposals. These were evaluated by the Expert Panel. Based on the advice of the Panel, I announced in 2005 that radiation oncology services in the Eastern Region should be located at Beaumont and St James's Hospital. This entailed the eventual transfer of St Luke's staff and resources to the new centres.

As part of the implementation of the 2006 National Cancer Control Strategy, the HSE set up an Advisory Group to assist it in configuring the managed cancer control networks and identifying the designated cancer centres. Combined modality treatment, delivered by multi-disciplinary teams, was a key requirement for the designated cancer centres. The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme was launched in 2007. It set out the configuration of the cancer services in such centres, and identified the 8 designated cancer centres, including Beaumont and St James's Hospitals.

The two new radiotherapy centres at St James's and Beaumont Hospitals will open at end 2010/early 2011 under Phase 1 of the NPRO, providing significant additional capacity for public patients. These centres will be under the governance of the HSE National Cancer Control Programme. The existing radiotherapy centre at St Luke's and these new centres at Beaumont and St James's will together form the St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network. This will allow for seamless patient transfer between services and more effective, patient-centred services, resulting in best outcomes for patients. Some staff and resources of St Luke's will transfer to other sites in the St Luke's Network in the second half of 2010. Radiotherapy services will continue to be delivered at St Luke's until at least the end of 2014. At that stage, additional capacity is scheduled to come on stream under Phase 2 of the NPRO and the remaining staff and resources will transfer from St Luke's.