Dan Neville
Ceist:224 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the additional cost for treating patients with cancer resulting from the cost of drugs prescribed by new medical cancer specialists in each health board area. [19004/99]
Written Answers - Cancer Treatment Costs.
The national cancer strategy was published in 1996 and was followed in March 1997 by a three year action plan outlining details of how the strategy would be implemented. Since then, some £26 million has been allocated to a range of services to meet the commitments of the action plan and to advance the objectives of the strategy.
Substantial progress has been made in implementing the three year action plan. The regional directors have worked in conjunction with the health boards and other service providers and have undoubtedly brought about substantial improvements in cancer treatment and care services. However, it is recognised that these developments will give rise to significant additional costs in coming years, the cost of oncology and haematology drugs being a major part of this additional cost. The main reasons for the substantial increases are the growing availability of newly developed drugs for the treatment of cancer and the growth in the volume of cancer drugs prescribed generally.
The approximate total cost of new consultant medical oncology posts are between £800,000 and £1 million per annum in regional centres and up to £2 million per annum in the more complex supra-regional centres. Up to two thirds of these costs are related to cancer drugs.
I am conscious of the revenue implications of these important services for hospitals and I am working to ensure all cancer units are adequately supported to meet the needs placed upon them.