Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 December 2019
256. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if chemotherapy sessions for children are being delayed; if so, the details of the delays; the causes of same; the number of children affected; the length of delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52382/19]
View answerChildren's Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin is the national referral centre for children & teenagers requiring Haematological/Oncological and HSCT (bone marrow /stem cell) treatments and care.
The capacity to admit patients is governed by the number of patients at any one time, and the availability of beds needed to treat these patients. On occasion it is necessary to defer a patient’s admission.
CHI at Crumlin is very aware of the impact on patients and their families that a change in admission for chemotherapy has, and takes every care to avoid a patient’s deferral. When such a decision is made, the priority at all times is to ensure a safe environment, and safe delivery of care to all patients.
Every effort to stay in direct contact with families whose child’s admission has been postponed and to reschedule as soon as possible.
