Vol. 519 No. 5
192 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 57 and 69 of 5 April 2000, the current position in relation to the need to provide additional cancer treatment services with particular reference to the needs of the North Eastern Health Board area. [14202/00]
There has been considerable development in the care and treatment of patients with cancer over the last 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 that 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 that 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 my 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 have 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 years allocation for the appointment of a consultant in palliative care.
193 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to establish a national advisory committee on children and young people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14244/00]
194 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children if it is the intention of the Government to establish an interdepartmental committee on children and young people with a view to co-ordinating a comprehensive, streamlined approach to all matters relating to children and young people. [14245/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together.
An interdepartmental group, at assistant secretary level, is currently preparing a national children's strategy. The strategy will broadly reflect the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, will be child centred and holistic in approach and will aim to improve the quality of children's lives, adopting a ten year time-frame for detailed planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It will set out a range of proposals to advance the welfare and status of children in Irish society; address the need to develop our research and information base; recommend more effective ways of obtaining the views of children and set out proposals on how to improve co-ordination and planning in the provision of services for children.
The interdepartmental group is representative of the Departments of Health and Children; Education and Science; Social, Community and Family Affairs; Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Environment and Local Government; Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Finance; the Taoiseach's office and the Attorney General's office. The strategy will address the question of what new structures, including a national advisory committee on children and young people, may be necessary.
Based on current projections, I expect that the interdepartmental group will have finished its work by next September. On completion the strategy will be submitted to Government for approval to be published.
