Vol. 517 No. 4
57 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, he has to provide additional cancer treatment services in the North-Eastern Health Board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter [9947/00]
69 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress, if any, in addressing regional imbalances in the availability of cancer treatment services outside Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9944/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 69 together.
There has been considerable development in the care and treatment of patients with cancer in the past number of years. Since the launch of the National Cancer Strategy in November 1996, and the announcement of the action plan for the implementation of the strategy in March 1997, considerable improvements have taken place in this area.
The two underlying principles of the National Cancer Strategy are to take all measures possible to reduce rates of illness and death from cancer in line with the targets established in the health strategy, Shaping a Healthier Future, and to ensure those who develop cancer receive the most effective care and treatment and that their quality of life is enhanced to the greatest extent possible.
Underlying these objectives is the need for a high quality, patient-focused service. One of the specific objectives of the strategy is to ensure all patients have access to an equitable, effective service with a uniformly high quality of care wherever they live.
Since the strategy was launched, regional directors of cancer services were appointed in each health board area, with two co-regional directors of cancer services appointed in the North-Eastern Health Board area. The regional directors were asked to prepare plans for the development of cancer services in their area and these plans were then submitted to the Department. The National Cancer Forum and Professor James Fennelly, special adviser on cancer services to the Department, advised on appropriate developments in each area. The main areas of development included that of consultant appointments and in this context the North-Eastern Health Board has had additional appointments made in medical oncology and histopathology. On a national basis, some £41 million of dedicated funding has been allocated since 1997 for the development of cancer services. Dedicated funding for the development of cancer services has been allocated to the north east and since the launch of the strategy this has amounted to some £1.48 million. Funding is provided in this year's allocation for the appointment of a consultant in palliative care.
The first phase of the national breast screening programme has commenced and this phase will include the North-Eastern Health Board area. At my request, a review of the symptomatic breast cancer services has been undertaken by the National Cancer Forum and I expect to receive the report of this group on the appropriate further development of this service when I attend the final meeting of the National Cancer Forum tomorrow. When I receive the report I will give it careful consideration and I propose to make funding available under the National Cancer Strategy to develop further symptomatic breast cancer services.
My Department is continuing to work with the National Cancer Forum and the regional direc tors of cancer services in identifying priorities for the further development of cancer services in all regions, building on the major progress made to date.
I thank the Minister for his detailed reply and for his commitment to additional funding and a better regional spread of cancer treatment services. Will he ensure the need to provide in the North Eastern Health Board area, breast cancer surgery and treatment services, haematology services and additional palliative care services is given urgent consideration? It is essential to provide such services at Cavan General Hospital, given that it is a new hospital with modern facilities which serves the catchment area of the North Eastern Health Board which is most remote and distant from Dublin, the centre to which people must travel at present for treatment? Does the Minister agree that a centre such as Cavan should have a range of cancer treatment services?
Tomorrow I will receive the national strategy from the National Cancer Forum in relation to symptomatic breast cancer. I understand from a number of Adjournment debate matters raised by Deputies that this has implications for all the regions and particular hospitals in the regions. I will take on board the advice of the forum, together with advice from Deputies. There have been a number of investments in the north east area since the cancer strategy was established amounting to 1.48 million. There is provision this year for the appointment of a consultant in palliative care. This was one of the issues identified by the Deputy.
I will consider the case of Cavan General Hospital in the context of the service plan which the health board will bring forward in relation to capital development in this region.
Arising from Question No. 69 in the name of Deputy Smith and following on his reply to an Adjournment debate on the issue last week, will the Minister say what is the function of the chief executive officers of the health boards and the members of the National Cancer Forum? Will the report the Minister receives tomorrow include the relevant views expressed by these people in respect of the Western Health Board area, with specific reference to a meeting held in Mayo General Hospital last week on this matter? Is the Minister in a position to make up his own mind, irrespective of the views expressed by the National Cancer Forum or the chief executive officers?
I am always free to make up my own mind in issues such as this. However, there is a responsibility on all Ministers to take on board advice they receive in terms of the maximum utilisation of resources. I have received representations from Deputies in Mayo about concerns in that area and it is important that there is regional balance in terms of the provision of services. Deputy Smith outlined the need to be mindful of long journeys patients must make, particularly in relation to cancer treatment. This is an issue which concerns me and I will take all these balancing issues on board in order to arrive at a final decision in the provision of services.
I recently established an expert group on radiotherapy services, moving beyond the agenda already established by the national cancer strategy in the three supra-regional centres for radiotherapy. I am mindful of the distance issue and the need to consider the further expansion of radiotherapy services so that the impact on patients who must travel very long distances from rural Ireland to secure such services can be reduced.
In the context of his reply to Deputy Smith and the breast cancer programme generally, does the Minister plan to axe any of the breast cancer units from the programme as originally proposed under the cancer strategy?
I do not have any plans to axe anything. However, I will receive a report tomorrow from the National Cancer Forum in relation to the symptomatic breast cancer strategy.
If it proposes axing units, the Minister will go along with that?
I did not say that. The National Cancer Forum was established by the Deputy's colleague, the former Minister for Health, Deputy Noonan. We must be careful in terms of discarding reports on a national strategy basis. Obviously I will assess the report which I have not yet seen. I am anxious to ensure there is a strong regional supply of services and that where existing good practices are in place this will be allowed to continue.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
