Brendan Smith
Ceist:175 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Health the cancer treatment services which will be available at Cavan General Hospital in view of his recent announcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21943/96]
Written Answers. - Cancer Services.
Limerick East): The series of cancer initiatives which I announced last week are aimed at bringing about important improvements to services relating to cancer throughout the country. The national cancer strategy contains plans for reorganising cancer treatment services, targeting resources to screening programmes of proven value and developing specialist palliative care. The services will concentrate on the needs of patients, with particular regard to the most sensitive and responsive arrangements for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. All areas of the country, including the North East region, will benefit over the coming years from the initiatives contained in the strategy.
A key element in the Cancer Strategy is that hospital based treatment services should be organised around regional services in designated groups of hospitals. The regional services would be responsible for organising an appropriate cancer treatment service for the region and would be led by one of the hospitals. In this regard, it is proposed that the North Eastern regional service would be led by the Cavan/Monaghan hospital group. This hospital will co-ordinate cancer treatment services for the region to ensure that the hospitals in the region adopt a cohesive approach in the delivery of care. A key concern will be to ensure that patients receive the best treatment in the most appropriate location.