The efforts of local communities in raising funds for local health services is a feature of our health system. The allocation of these funds is essentially a matter for these communities. In respect of radiation oncology services specifically, I have met the Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust and the Mid-Western Health Board regarding their proposal for the development of a radiation oncology unit on the campus of the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick. The proposal is for a facility to be constructed on a site to be made available by the Mid-Western Health Board and to be operated by a private hospital, with funds provided by the Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust. I have been assured that the development will not require revenue or capital resources from my Department. My understanding is that it is intended to treat public and private patients at this facility.
I have advised the representatives of the Mid-Western Health Board of the establishment of a national radiation oncology co-ordinating group which will advise, inter alia, on the national co-ordination and delivery of existing and planned radiation oncology services, including agreeing quality assurance protocols and guidelines for the referral of public patients to private facilities.
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. My plan for the development of radiotherapy services is that the supra-regional centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway will provide comprehensive radiation oncology services to patients regardless of their place of residence. Specifically, these supra-regional centres will provide significant sessional commitments to patients in the mid-west, north-west and south-east. Approval has already issued for the appointment of two consultant radiation oncologists at Cork University Hospital and University College Hospital Galway, with sessional commitments to the South Eastern and North Western Health Boards respectively. I expect proposals in this regard to be finalised shortly for submission to Comhairle na nOspidéal involving the Mid-Western, Western and Southern Health Boards, in order to expedite the recruitment of two further consultant radiation oncologists at CUH and at UCHG.
The immediate developments in the southern and western regions 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 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. These appointments are specifically designed to offer patients in areas such as the mid-west and south-east equity of access to radiation oncology services that are in line with best international practice.
