Vol. 554 No. 5
1070 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children when the national cancer screening programme, BreastCheck, will be extended nationwide to the remaining health board areas, in particular the Western Health Board region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16236/02]
1181 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide funding to the Western Health Board for breast screening in County Roscommon; the reason this service is not currently provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16999/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1070 and 1181 together.
As the Deputies are aware, BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme, commenced in March 2000 with phase one of the programme covering the Eastern Regional Health Authority, Midland Health Board and North-Eastern Health Board. Screening is being offered free of charge to all those women in the target age group of 50 to 64 years of age. The programme is on target to complete phase one by December 2002. Up to the end of July 2002, 92,400 women have been called for screening and 65,011 women have been screened, representing an uptake of 74%. This year, additional funding of €1.5 million was provided to BreastCheck for the continued development of the national breast screening programme, bringing the total allocation to date to €8.7 million. The decision to proceed on a phased basis is a reflection of the complexities involved in the screening process and it is essential that the programme is driven by international quality assurance criteria and best practice. BreastCheck has submitted a business plan for the extension of the programme, which is currently being examined by my Department.
Any woman, irrespective of her age or residence, who has immediate concerns or symptoms should contact her GP who, where appropriate, will refer her to the symptomatic services in the area concerned. In relation to the Western Health Board, the board's policy is to provide services for women with breast cancer in UCHG and at Mayo General Hospital. The regional breast cancer team is located at UCHG while a breast cancer centre is located at Mayo General Hospital. In November 2001, financial approval issued for the following consultant posts with sessional splits between UCHG and Mayo General Hospital: consultant surgeon with a special interest in breast cancer; consultant radiologist with a special interest in breast cancer; and consultant histopathologist with a special interest in breast cancer. Currently there are three locations in the Western Health Board where mammography takes place. These locations and their activity are detailed in the following table:
|
Location |
University College Hospital, Galway |
Mayo General Hospital |
PortiunculaHospital |
|
Numbers screened in2001 |
1,712 |
1,162 |
438 |
|
Numbers screened todate in 2002 |
1,068 |
987 |
571 |
