Peadar Tóibín
Question:159. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health when cancer services will be restored to full pre-Covid-19 capacity in the State. [37676/21]
View answerTuesday, 13 July 2021
Questions (159)
Written answers
The National Action Plan on Covid-19 identified the continued provision of cancer care as a priority and cancer services continue to operate in line with guidance issued by the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).
The principles underpinning cancer care delivery during the pandemic remain key to efforts to mitigate the impact on services:
- continuation of diagnostic services, particularly patients referred to Rapid Access Clinics;
- continuation of treatment, considering the risk: benefit ratio for each individual patient;
- prioritising time-sensitive treatment across the cancer pathway; reviewing the location of the delivery of cancer services to optimise patient safety and infection control;
- minimising any non-essential face to face patient contact, e.g. through the use of virtual assessment and triage where appropriate;
- optimising the potential for providing cancer services in private hospitals; and
- adherence to national guidance for all services as laid out by NCCP and the HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer.
While the recent ransomware attack has had an impact on cancer services, every effort is being made to maintain cancer services at present, with a particular focus on urgent and time-sensitive cases.
Funding of €12m was allocated this year for the restoration of cancer services to 95% of 2019 (pre-Covid) levels. This funding is being used to:
- facilitate the expansion of capacity in diagnostic services in the context of Covid-19;
- support virtual clinics and more accurate triage;
- facilitate the better organisation of medical, radiation and surgical oncology in the context of increased organisational focus, social distancing and the provision of infection prevention & control measures;
- fund minor capital works to enable capacity restoration in medical oncology day wards; and
- support the continued provision of psycho-social supports to cancer patients and their families, including through the Together 4 Cancer Concern patient support initiative.
Furthermore, funding of €20m has been allocated for the continued implementation of the National Cancer Strategy this year. This funding will facilitate developments across prevention, diagnosis, treatment and patient supports.