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Hospital Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 March 2004

Tuesday, 9 March 2004

Ceisteanna (199)

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

286 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals he has to include the south-east region in the first phase of the development of the radiotherapy programme now that the 2002 census shows that the population of the region has exceeded 423,000 which was the estimate for the year 2015 used in the development of radiation oncology services in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7460/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As the Deputy is aware, I launched the report, The Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland, in October 2003. Its recommendations have been accepted by Government which agrees that a major programme is now required to develop rapidly clinical radiation oncology treatment services to modern standards. Furthermore, the Government has agreed that the first phase of such a new programme should be the development of a clinical network of large centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway. The development of these centres as a clinical network is of paramount importance and will, in the shortest possible timeframe, begin to address the profound deficit in radiation therapy services that has been identified in the report. The implementation of the report's recommendations is the single most important priority in cancer services in the acute hospital setting.

The report on the development of radiation oncology services agrees in principle with the existing international recommendations that a population of greater than 650,000 should, where possible, be the minimum population necessary to support a radiation oncology unit. This population of itself is not sufficient without adherence to additional guidelines, including that the majority of radiation oncology treatment facilities should be located within the context of a supra-regional cancer centre.

The expert group undertook a detailed analysis of submissions from all health boards in relation to their existing and future plans for the development of clinical radiation oncology facilities in conjunction with the information available on future population and caseload projections for individual health boards provided by the Central Statistics Office and the national cancer registry. The population served by the Southern Health Board and adjacent regions and that of the collective area health boards constituting the eastern region meet the suggested 650,000 population minimum requirement for the development of a radiation therapy centre as defined in the 1996 national cancer strategy. The supra-regional centre at UCHG will deliver radiation oncology services to a considerably larger geographic catchment than the existing Western Health Board, with an estimated catchment population of 620,000.

I will require radiation oncology centres to provide services on an equitable basis which will ensure that patients of equal need will have equal access. Geography will not be a barrier to equal access. I will also require radiation oncology centres to provide outreach services to hospitals in adjoining regions. This is currently the case and, as more consultant radiation oncologists are appointed, it will be necessary to ensure that there is an equitable spread of outreach services. Last week I approved the appointment of a consultant radiation oncologist for the Southern Health Board with sessional commitments to the South Eastern Health Board. This will significantly improve access to radiotherapy services for patients in the south-east.

The Government has also decided that in the future development of services, consideration should be given to the efficacy of developing satellite centres at Waterford, Limerick and the north-west. Such consideration will take into account the international evaluation of satellite centres, the efficacy of providing this model and the need to ensure quality standards of care.

As recommended in the report, I have established the national radiation oncology co-ordinating group. The group, which recently held its first meeting, comprises clinical, technical, managerial, academic and nursing expertise from different geographic regions. The group's remit encompasses recommending measures to facilitate improved access to existing and planned services, including transport and accommodation. I expect the group to develop proposals in these important areas.

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