Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
3123. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the average number of patients who have been on the waiting list for a cancer related hospital appointments in County Meath per month in 2019, 2020 and to date 2021, in tabular form. [40345/21]
View answer3124. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the average number of patients who have been on the waiting list for cancer related hospital appointments in County Westmeath per month in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [40346/21]
View answer3125. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who have been recorded as having a late diagnosis of their cancer in County Meath resulting in a stage 4 or 5 diagnosis in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40347/21]
View answer3126. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who have been recorded as having a late diagnosis of their cancer in County Westmeath resulting in a stage 4 or 5 diagnosis in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40348/21]
View answer3127. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who had late stage 4 or 5 diagnosis of their cancer in all counties nationwide in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [40349/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 3123 to 3127, inclusive, together.
The National Action Plan on Covid-19 identified the continued provision of cancer care as a priority. Cancer services continue to operate in line with guidance issued by the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).
While the NCCP do not collect data on waiting lists by county, they continue to closely monitor trends in numbers coming forward to diagnostic services, and the level of attendances for appointments for treatment. The total number of patients seen across all Rapid Access Clinics (RACs) in 2020 (44,233) amounted to 88% of the 2019 figure (50,249). However, GP e-referrals to RACs for weeks 2-17 (up to 25 April) this year were 153% of the activity in the corresponding weeks in 2020, and 126% for the corresponding weeks in 2019.
Target times, within which patients triaged as urgent should be seen, are in place for the Breast, Lung and Prostate clinics. The performance of each hospital in meeting these targets is monitored by the NCCP and reviewed at monthly meetings with the Department of Health. The performance of each clinic against their KPI for 2019, 2020 and indicative data for 2021 is as follows:
|
Clinic |
KPI |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 (Jan-May) |
|
Urgent Symptomatic Breast |
95% within 10 days |
69.9% |
70.3% |
65.3% |
|
Rapid Access Lung |
95% within 10 days |
86.7% |
86.8% |
92.2% |
|
Rapid Access Prostate |
90% within 20 days |
67.0% |
52.0% |
58.9% |
Medical, radiation and surgical oncology services continued throughout the pandemic, utilising the safeguards of social distancing and infection prevention & control measures built up over the past year. The number of patients receiving chemotherapy up to end-2020 (105,541) was at approximately 90% of 2019 activity (117,328), while radiation oncology to end-2020 (98,997) was operating at 93% of 2019 activity (106,900).
Urgent surgery was prioritised and there was an emphasis on maintaining safe patient pathways in this regard. Surgery numbers up to end-2020 (12,706) were at 82% of the 2019 levels (15,450). This figure does not include surgeries involving public patients that were undertaken in private hospitals, so the overall figure is higher.
The National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI) estimates that approximately 24,793 people were diagnosed with cancer (excluding Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer) annually in Ireland between 2018-2020. However, the NCRI advises that stage data for 2019-2021 is not yet available and that data is only collected for cancers diagnosed at stages I - IV.
Funding of €12m was allocated this year for the restoration of cancer services to 95% of 2019 (pre-Covid) levels. This funding is supporting hospitals in addressing backlogs, extending clinic times, providing additional clinics, increasing diagnostic capacity and providing locum/temporary support. It is also supporting virtual clinics and more accurate triage, and is facilitating infrastructure and minor equipment purchases to increase capacity across Rapid Access Clinics and surgical oncology, medical oncology and radiation oncology services.
In addition, as part of Budget 2021, an extra €20m has been allocated for the continued implementation of the National Cancer Strategy this year. This funding is being used to facilitate developments across prevention, diagnosis, treatment and patient supports.
