Vol. 499 No. 5
86 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed regarding his intentions to transfer paediatric haematology patients currently undergoing treatment in Tallaght Hospital to Crumlin children's hospital; and the proposals, if any, he has to centralise paediatric haematology in Crumlin, Dublin 12, and to close down the service currently provided in Tallaght, Dublin 24. [3078/99]
As I informed the House yesterday evening, there is no question of either the paediatric haematology unit at Tallaght being closed or of patients currently undergoing treatment in Tallaght being transferred to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin. Neither are there any plans to centralise paediatric haematology in Crumlin. As the Deputy will be aware, the only change to the current paediatric oncology and haematology services will be that in future, children diagnosed with cancer, as distinct from children with other haematology disorders, will be referred for an initial assessment at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.
As the Deputy will be aware, I met the chairperson of the organisation CHIILD earlier today. I was accompanied by the chairperson of the National Cancer Forum and officials from the Department together with the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey.
I certainly understand CHWD's concerns and I reassured the representatives that there would be no transfer of resources, whether equipment or staff, from the new unit at Tallaght. The decision made regarding cancer treatment will also not affect current services being provided for children at Tallaght.
My Department has written to the chairman of the National Children's Hospital setting out my desire for a structured collaboration between the three Dublin children's hospitals. In this context, I feel that it should now be possible to develop a positive agenda for improvement of paediatric services to which each hospital can subscribe.
I again emphasise that primacy must be given to the best interests of our sick children, including those requiring oncology and haematology services.
