Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
712. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure the roll-out of the National Cancer Information System (NCIS) to remaining designated cancer centres nationwide; if he will ringfence funding to ensure that this be designated a priority and resourced in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33651/23]
View answerThis Government’s commitment to the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy is evidenced by significant investment in recent years. New development funding of €20 million was allocated to cancer services in 2021 and a further €20 million was allocated in 2022.
The model of care for hospital cancer treatment is centred on eight Designated Cancer Centres serving a defined population and geographic area. The eight designated cancer centres are Beaumont Hospital, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, St. James’s Hospital, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Waterford, University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Galway.
The National Cancer Information System (NCIS) is a single national computerised system that records and stores information relevant to a patient’s health care. NCIS is currently being introduced on a phased basis to all public hospitals providing cancer services. The roll-out will take a number of years and remains a key objective for the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP). Additional sites have been identified for roll-out of NCIS in 2023.
NCIS is now live in eleven sites nationwide: Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, South Infirmary Victoria Hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital, Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) Crumlin, Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore, University Hospital Kerry, Beaumont Hospital, St James’s Hospital, Mayo University Hospital, Galway University Hospital and St Luke’s Hospital Rathgar.
Funding for current expenditure, including cancer services, is allocated on an annual (single-year) basis through the Estimates process with future levels of funding considered as part of the national estimates and budgetary process. Decisions on the funding of cancer services are being made in the context of the Estimates process for 2024.
