I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 512, 529, 577, 584, 585 and 603 together.
I met with members of the Sarcoma Action Group last Wednesday and discussed sarcoma services with them.
The recruitment of a consultant medical oncologist with a special interest in sarcoma, based in St. Vincent’s University Hospital, will be prioritised to facilitate further development of the service there. The Director General of the HSE has directed that work on the open recruitment process is to begin immediately.
Meanwhile, arrangements are being made to facilitate any current patient of the Locum Consultant to continue to be treated by her in respect of their medical oncology needs.
It is intended to increase, in line with available resources, the number of consultant medical oncologists working in the eight designated cancer centres to meet demand. Patients diagnosed with sarcoma are seen at one of the two multidisciplinary teams in St Vincent's University Hospital and Cork University Hospital. Both of these hospitals are designated cancer centres and have an extensive range of multidisciplinary services and expert clinical advice available to them across surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology and pathology.
Dr Charles Gilham is the National Clinical Lead in Soft Tissue Sarcomas and he provides advice to the National Cancer Control Programme in relation to the development of services nationally.
My Department is currently developing a National Cancer Strategy 2016 - 2025 that will focus on prevention, early diagnosis and further improvements in treatment and patient care. This Strategy will be published in the coming months.
