Mary Hanafin
Ceist:315 Ms Hanafin asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding allocated towards the provision of breast care nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7648/99]
Written Answers. - Cancer Treatment Services.
Mary Hanafin
Ceist:317 Ms Hanafin asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of specialist breast centres for each health board area which offer on site clinical examination, mammography, cytology and histology on the same day. [7650/99]
Mary Hanafin
Ceist:339 Ms Hanafin asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide a breakdown in respect of each health board of the availability of a specialist breast clinic, a breast surgeon, a medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist and breast care nurses for breast cancer patients. [7871/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 315, 317 and 339 together.
Services relating to breast cancer are provided in a number of hospitals throughout the country. The main settings for these services are mammography units, which help to diagnose breast cancer as early as possible, and specialist breast clinics, which provide a full range of diagnostic and treatment services. There are 19 mammography units in the country at present. Their location is shown in Table 1. There are nine specialist breast care clinics, as shown in Table 2.
Further details of the range of services offered in each health board area are set out in Table 3.
Table 1
Location of Mammography Units
Adelaide and Meath Hospitals, incorporating the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght
Beaumont Hospital
Mater Hospital
St. James's Hospital
St. Vincent's Hospital
Ennis General Hospital
Letterkenny General Hospital
Limerick Regional Hospital
Mayo General Hospital
Nenagh General Hospital
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda
Our Lady's Hospital, Navan
Portiuncula Hospital
Portlaoise General Hospital
Sligo General Hospital
South lnfirmary – Victoria Hospital, Cork
Tralee General Hospital
University College Hospital, Galway
Waterford Regional Hospital
Table 2
Location of Specialist Breast Clinics
St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin
Mater Hospital, Dublin
St. James's Hospital, Dublin
Portlaoise General Hospital
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda
Waterford Regional Hospital
Cork University Hospital
South Infirmary – Victoria Hospital, Cork
University College Hospital, Galway
Table 3
Breast Cancer Services by Health Board Area
|
Health BoardArea |
Main Services Offered |
|
Eastern |
St. Vincent's Hospital operates a multi-disciplinary breast centre with two consultant surgeons with a specialist interest in breast concer (to be increased to three with the advent of the National Breast Screening Programme), a registrar in breast diseases, a specialist breast care nurse, and two additional nurse specialists to be appointed under the Screening Programme. Other staffing includesa specialist radiologist and cytology/histology services by relevant medical staff. The breast clinic involves clinical examination, mammography, cytology and histology services, which are available on the same day.St. James's Hospital provides on-site clinical examination, mammography and histology on the same day, although histology results may take 2 to 3 days. The hospital has a specialist breast clinic which includes a breast surgeon, medical oncology services and radiation oncology and breast care nurses.The Mater Hospital is in the process of appointing two nurses as part of its breast screening service. It already has a breast care nurse based in the mammography unit. The breast clinic has two general surgeons who conduct breast surgery. A new breast surgeon will be employed in August. The service also has a medical oncologist and two sessions of a radiation oncologist. A second medical oncologist will shortly be employed.In Tallaght it is hoped to develop a breast clinic later in the year. A nurse co-ordinator for breast cancer has recently been appointed. |
|
Midland |
In Portlaoise General Hospital, two oncology clinics per month with radiation oncologist/registrar provided by St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin. Weekly breast clinic provided by surgeon with a specialist interest in breast care. Clinical examinations and mammography offered on site on same day; cytology and histology results from Tullamore General Hospital within one week. Funding of £55,000 is in place for two oncology nurses.In Longford/Westmeath General Hospital, one oncology clinic per month. Oncologist/registrar provided by St. Luke's Hospital. Consultant surgeon with a special interest in breast surgery to be appointed shortly. Clinical examinations and mammography offered on site on same day; cytology and histology reuslts within 48 hours. Oncology nurses shortly to be appointed.In Tullamore General Hospital, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is available. Mammography services to be provided in the forthcoming capital development at the hospital. Oncology nurses shortly to be appointed. |
|
Health BoardArea |
Main Services Offered |
|
Mid-Western |
The Mid-Western Health Board has funding of £75,000 for its breast clinic services, including £25,000 for a breast care specialist nurse.Limerick Regional Hospital provides on-site clinical examination and mammography on the same day. Histology results are provided as soon as possible therafter. The hospital has two specialist breast surgeons and a consultant medical oncologist will be appointed. It has access to radiation oncology services from St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin.St. John's Hospital, Limerick operates two breast clinics per month and has two surgeons dealing with breast cancer. |
|
North-Eastern |
Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda offers clinical examination, mammography, cytology and histology. It has a specialist breast clinic including surgery, oncology and two oncology nurses. A breast surgeon is to be appointed in the current year.In Cavan/Monaghan General Hospital, one breast care nurse is employed; there are plans to employ further such nurses later in 1999. A breast surgeon will be appointed in 1999 and a consultant medical oncologist will take up duty on 1 April.Our Lady's Hospital, Navan has a specialist breast clinic, including the services of a general surgeon. |
|
North-Western |
Funding of £50,000 has been provided for two breast care nurses, one each in Sligo General Hospital and Letterkenny General Hospital.Both hospitals have breast care clinics with on-site clinical examination, mammography, cytology and histology. Leterkenny General Hospital has a consultant surgeon with a special interest in breast care.Urgent radiological examinations are carried out in both hospitals on the day of request. Breast biopsies are given an urgent in-patient appointment. |
|
South-Eastern |
Waterford Regional Hospital holds a weekly rapid diagnostic breast clinic, including clinical examination, mammography, cytology and histology. Its specialist breast clinic has the services of a consultant medical oncologist, a visiting radiation oncologist, a general surgeon with a special interest in breast surgery and a breast care nurse. |
|
Southern |
In Cork University Hospital there is a breast care nurse and a specialist oncology nurse, funded at £44,000 per annum. The hospital operates a specialist breast clinic with on-site clinical examination, cytology and histology. It has the services of a breast surgeon, radiation oncologist and breast care nurse. The hospital is currently developing a rapid diagnostic breast clinic. Funding has been provided for a consultant medical oncologist providing services in CUH, Mercy Hospital and the South Infirmary/Victoria Hospital. |
|
Health BoardArea |
Main Services Offered |
|
In the South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital, funding of £33,309 has been allocated for the provision of breast care nursing. The hospital's specialist breast centre offers on-site clinical examination, mammography and cytology for patients on the same day. Patients are admitted as day cases for histology. The hospital's breast care service comprises two breast surgeons, breast care nurse, a visiting medical oncologist and a visiting radiation oncologist. |
|
|
Western |
One breast care nurse employed full time in University College Hospital Galway with funding of £21,000. Specialistbreast clinic in place, with mammography, histology and cytology tests available. It includes a breast surgeon and the post of consultant medical oncologist is to be filled in July.Mayo General Hospital has a breast clinic twice a month, run by a consultant surgeon with a special interest in breast cancer. A specialist oncology nurse is employed and the hospital has access to a consultant oncologist from St. Luke's Hospital with two clinics per month.Portiuncula Hospital operates one specialist breast clinic per month. |