Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2004
249 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she received a report on radiotherapy from the Irish Society of Medical Oncologists in 2003; if that report recommended radiotherapy centres in eight hospitals; the way in which the report was considered by her; the reason the proposed configuration was rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27181/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe submission referred to by the Deputy was made by the Irish Society of Medical Oncologists to the national cancer forum in the context of the development of a new national cancer strategy and was discussed by the forum at its meeting in May 2003. The national cancer forum is the national advisory body on cancer services and is a multidisciplinary group of experts and includes representatives of all modalities of cancer care.
The context of these discussions was the current fragmented delivery of cancer services nationally. In developing the new national cancer strategy, the forum's considerations have been informed by the broad strategic context in which the cancer strategy exists, a comprehensive review of the current status of cancer care, a review of the literature evidence concerning key aspects of the organisation of cancer services and a review of international models of care. The forum has concluded that the current arrangements for the delivery of cancer services are not generally in accordance with best practice and cannot be recommended to deliver the best quality cancer care.
With regard to the development of radiation oncology specifically, the Government's policy is based on the report entitled The Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland. The expert group which developed the report comprised a range of experts involved in the provision of radiation oncology in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Some of the leading experts in their respective fields were represented on the group, including radiation oncologists as well as physicist and radiation therapy expertise. Two patient advocate representatives were also members, one from the Irish Cancer Society and the other from Aid Cancer Treatment. The group is the most authoritative voice in radiation oncology in this country and its report should be seen in that light. The report has been the subject of significant national and international endorsement from organisations such as the Irish Cancer Society, the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute in the United States.
The predominant view of the group, based on international guidelines of best practice, is that radiation oncology services would be best developed in the context of a clinical network model of four large centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway, where new treatment centres have appropriate staff and equipment resources based around a minimum four to six linear accelerator treatment capacity. This report was discussed and unanimously endorsed by the national cancer forum at its last meeting on 17 September 2004 as the framework for the future development of radiation oncology services in this country.
The model proposed by the report will provide a framework that meets national and international standards. It will adhere closely to the World Health Organisation and US National Institutes of Health concept of a "gold standard" of cancer treatment delivered within the context of a comprehensive cancer centre model. The proposed model will enable the development of specialist clinical teams with both tumour-specific and technology-specific expertise. It mandates the development of more extensive and integrated multidisciplinary care and meets the stated and expected medical and paramedical training programmes and their associated national and international accreditation mechanisms. It facilitates the most rapid implementation of new radiation technologies, particularly those with significant complexity and expense. and will fundamentally address the issue of access where a profound shortage of national treatment capacity is no longer the dominant limiting factor.
