Vol. 557 No. 4
339 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he is taking to deal with the shortage of urologists; his views on the impact this shortage is having on the treatment of patients with prostate cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22289/02]
Regarding the numbers of urologists in the health service, the Deputy will be aware that I established a national task force on medical staffing earlier this year. The task force is, among other issues, considering the proposed development of a consultant-provided public hospital service and quantifying the resource and cost implications involved. The task force is also addressing the reduction in working hours for non-consultant hospital doctors arising from the EU directive on working time and the medical education and training requirements of our hospital medical workforce. The task force will also address the associated medical staffing needs of the hospital system and consider the medical education and training requirements arising from changes to the current model of delivering services.
Regarding the treatment of patients with prostate cancer, the National Cancer Forum in conjunction with my Department is developing the national cancer strategy 2003, which will set out the key areas to be targeted for the development of cancer services over the coming years. As part of this work, the National Cancer Forum has established a number of multidisciplinary sub-groups. The sub-group on generic screening is reviewing all issues relating to screening, including examining specific diseases such as prostate and colorectal cancer. A sub-group on generic symptomatic disease has also been established. This group is reviewing cancer policy and models for the organisation of cancer services in other jurisdictions. A sub-group on evidence-based medicine has also been established. This group is developing a framework for the development, implementation, monitoring and updating of guidelines for the treatment of patients with cancer. The recommendations of these groups will inform the development of the new national cancer strategy 2003.
Questions Nos. 340 and 341 answered with Question No. 338.
