Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2006
276 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Health and Children when she expects radiotherapy services to be made available to public patients at Waterford Regional Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42507/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is working closely with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) to progress the National Radiation Oncology Plan announced by Government in July 2005. The plan consists of large centres in Dublin (at Beaumont and St. James's Hospitals), Cork and Galway and two integrated satellite centres at Waterford Regional Hospital and Limerick Regional Hospital.
The NDFA has assembled a team to progress the financial and procurement aspects and the HSE has appointed a Project Manager and support team. A Clinical Output Specification Group is well advanced in specifying the clinical aspects of the development. Technical advisors will be appointed shortly to advise on the construction and other technical aspects of the project. I have also appointed the Chairman of St. Luke's Hospital to chair a National Radiation Oncology Oversight Group to advise me on progress on the implementation of the plan.
I have approved the provision of two additional linear accelerators at St. Luke's Hospital to provide much needed interim capacity pending the roll out of the national plan. I expect these services to commence late next year. I recently also announced the approval of two radiation oncology facilities at Beaumont and St. James's Hospitals, comprising of two linear accelerators and associated treatment planning at each site, to be delivered in early 2009. These are key elements of the delivery of the National Plan.
The HSE has advised my Department that its planning and procurement processes, which have been developed in conjunction with the NDFA, are designed to ensure the earliest possible delivery of radiotherapy nationally, including at Waterford Regional Hospital. Potential providers will be asked to specify detailed delivery timescales for all sites as part of the competitive bidding process. While the HSE has developed indicative timelines for planning purposes, it considers, for commercial reasons, that this information should not be made public at this stage in the process.
