Marian Harkin
Question:538. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if he will re-open the Mater Private Hospital to HSE patients given the backlog of critical cancer surgeries (details supplied). [60242/22]
View answerTuesday, 6 December 2022
Questions (538)
Written answers
The Government has allocated significantly increased funding to cancer services in recent years, which was used to maintain services during Covid-19 and to drive improvements. In 2021 the Government allocated an additional €57 to cancer services: €20 million in new development funding, €12 million for measures against Covid-19, €15 million for new cancer drugs, and €10 m for cancer screening. In 2022 the Government allocated €35 million extra funding: €20 million for new development funding, €15 million for new cancer drugs.
Services resumption following the Covid pandemic is evident, with treatments across surgery, medical oncology and radiotherapy making a strong recovery after the first months of the pandemic with total activity levels for the year at 80-90% of 2019 figures.
This recovery has continued through 2021 and 2022, with the longest waiting times for rapid access clinics for the four main cancer types improved compared to the previous 11 months; Urgent breast cancer down 36%, non-urgent breast cancer down 44%; lung cancer down 60% and prostate cancer down 59%.
For medical oncology, 88% of patients are receiving treatment within 15 days of a treatment plan being finalised across the 26 Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT, which includes chemotherapy and immunotherapy) hospitals, and the KPI in this area is 85%. 26 acute oncology nurses are in place to help cancer patients manage their care and avoid ED attendance.
In relation to the particular query raised, Private health care providers such as the Mater Private Network, are independent organisations and the range of services available, and the criteria for access to those services does not fall under the remit of the Department of Health.