Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2021
248. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department has established a cancer patient advisory committee to provide input into the development of programmes for patients with cancer as is recommended in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56394/21]
View answerThe Cancer Patient Advisory Committee was established by my Department in January 2019, in line with Recommendation 39 of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026. The Committee is comprised of 15 members of the public, primarily people who have direct experience of cancer treatment as a patient (both current and in the past), as well as people who have supported a family member (typically a child) through cancer treatment.
The Committee meets on a quarterly basis, meeting virtually through the Covid-19 pandemic. An official of the Department chairs the Committee, and secretarial services are provided by the Department. A representative of the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme attends meetings of the Committee.
The Terms of Reference of the Committee are:
- To facilitate a patient input to the oversight of the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026;
- To provide input into the development of programmes for patients with cancer (e.g. in relation to survivorship/quality of life); and
- To consider how the patient input into cancer services can be facilitated more broadly in line with the objectives of the National Cancer Strategy.
My Department will shortly be seeking expressions of interest for membership of the Cancer Patient Advisory Committee to fill vacancies arising as the terms of some members come to an end.
Further information on the Committee can be found at www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/1942d8-cancer-patient-advisory-committee/.
