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Cancer Treatment Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004

Tuesday, 23 March 2004

Ceisteanna (334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340)

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

333 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether, when the three modalities of cancer treatment are provided together on one site, outcomes are maximised by at least 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8349/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

334 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children if cancer patients in Dublin, Cork and Galway will have at least a 20% better outcome in overall mortality as opposed to patients who do not receive the three modalities of cancer treatment on the same site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8350/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

335 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children if cancer patients in the south-east, mid-west and north-west will have to leave their region in order to have radiotherapy treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8351/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

336 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children if multidisciplinary cancer care, whereby the three modalities of treatment are provided together, will be available at the proposed two units in Dublin as well as in Cork and Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8353/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

337 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children if cancer patients from the south-east, mid-west and north-west requiring the three modalities of treatment, will not receive the three modalities on one site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8354/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

338 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children if the reason for downgrading St. Luke’s Hospital, Dublin, is that in regard to multidisciplinary cancer care, the hospital only offers one of the three modalities of treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8355/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

339 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals he has to ensure that terminally-ill cancer patients requiring radiotherapy will not be disadvantaged due to residing far from Dublin, Cork or Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8356/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 333 to 339, inclusive, together.

The Government's objective is to provide a model of cancer care, which ensures that patients with cancer receive the most appropriate and best quality of care regardless of their place of residence. In order to achieve this objective, an integrated and co-ordinated approach is required, which encompasses prevention, screening, cancer treatment — including medical, surgical and radiation oncology — education, training and research.

I launched the report the Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland in October 2003. Its recommendations have been accepted by Government. The group, which prepared the report, formulated guidelines for the development of additional radiation therapy facilities as follows. A sufficient patient population should exist within a proposed catchment area to support the future development of a radiation oncology service. A radiation oncology service should enable maximum patient access to the highest quality service. Other clinical specialties and support services that enable the appropriate function and development of a radiation oncology centre and/or supra-regional cancer centre should exist on the site. Radiation oncology must be part of organised multidisciplinary cancer care. A radiation oncology service should take account of patient groups with special needs. A radiation oncology service should develop links between those hospitals providing radiation oncology care and other hospitals involved in the provision of cancer care but without physical treatment facilities. Where radiation oncology facilities are not available on site, it will be important to provide appropriate outreach services particularly through the development of joint clinical and other appointments between hospitals and/or health boards.

I am satisfied that the application of these guidelines in the development of radiation oncology services as part of a multidisciplinary cancer service will best ensure that cancer patients have access to the highest quality of care.

The Government has agreed that a major programme is now required to rapidly develop clinical radiation oncology treatment services to modern standards and that the first phase of the programme will 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 oncology services that has been identified in the report.

I have provided resources to begin to implement the report's recommendations. Specifically, I have approved the purchase of two additional linear accelerators for the supra-regional centre at Cork University Hospital, CUH, and the necessary capital investment amounting to over €4 million to commission this service as rapidly as possible. In 2004, €1 million ongoing revenue funding is being made available for this development which will improve services for cancer patients in the Southern, Mid-Western and South Eastern Health Board regions.

I have approved the appointment of an additional consultant radiation oncologist at CUH with sessional commitments to the South Eastern Health Board. I shortly expect to be in a position to announce the approval of a further consultant radiation oncologist with significant sessional commitments to the Mid-Western Health Board. I have also approved the appointment of a project team to prepare a brief for the rapid expansion of current capacity at CUH from four to eight linear accelerators.

I am making available €2.5 million ongoing revenue funding this year to the supra-regional centre at University College Hospital, Galway, UCHG. This centre is constructed and the equipment is being commissioned. I have approved the appointment of an additional consultant medical oncologist and two consultant radiation oncologists, one of whom has significant sessional commitments to the North Western Health Board. I shortly expect to be in a position to approve the appointment of a third consultant radiation oncologist, with significant sessional commitments to the Mid-Western Health Board.

I have requested the Western Health Board to prepare a development control plan to facilitate the expansion from three to six linear accelerators in the medium term. I have also approved the establishment of a project team to plan this expansion at UCHG. This project team met for the first time yesterday. These developments will have significant benefits for patients in the western, mid-western and north-western regions.

The immediate developments in the south and west will result in the provision of an additional five linear accelerators. This represents an increase of approximately 50% in linear accelerator capacity. We will also provide for the appointment of an additional five consultant radiation oncologists. We currently have ten consultant radiation oncologists nationally. This will result in a significant increase in the numbers of patients receiving radiation oncology in the short term.

The report recommends that there should be two treatment centres located in the eastern region, one serving the southern part of the region and adjacent catchment areas and one serving the northern part of the region and adjacent catchment areas. I have asked the chief medical officer of my Department to advise on the optimum location of radiation treatment facilities in Dublin. A detailed request for submissions is being finalised at present. The chief medical officer will apply the guidelines established by the group and will be supported by the hospital planning office and international experts.

With regard to the Deputy's reference to St. Luke's Hospital, I wish to assure the House that I am committed to protecting its distinct ethos and to ensuring that its expertise plays a key role in the development programme I have outlined.

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 in 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 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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