The HSE announced last week the designation of four managed cancer control networks (coterminous with the four HSE administrative regions) and eight cancer centres nationally as follows: HSE Dublin North East: Beaumont Hospital; Mater Misericordiae Hospital;Dublin Mid Leinster: St. James's Hospital; St. Vincent's Hospital;HSE South: Cork University Hospital; Waterford Regional Hospital;HSE West: University College Hospital Galway; Limerick Regional Hospital.
The Minister recently approved National Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services under the Health Act 2007. Arising from the designation of cancer centres and in order to comply with the Standards, the Executive has directed the following thirteen hospitals with low case volumes (less than twenty procedures per year) to cease breast cancer services immediately, to be followed by further staged reductions in the number of hospitals providing breast cancer services from twenty-two to the eight cancer centres.
1.Naas General Hospital
2.Tullamore General Hospital
3.St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown
4.Mallow General Hospital
5.Louth County Hospital
6.Cavan General Hospital
7.Our Lady's Hospital, Navan
8.Mid Western Regional Hospital, Nenagh
9.Ennis General Hospital
10.St Michael's Hospital, Dun Laoghaire
11.Roscommon County Hospital
12.Portiuncula Hospital
13.Mercy University Hospital, Cork (cytology and histopathology services in association with South Infirmary Victoria Hospital exempted)
A number of these hospitals have in practice already discontinued symptomatic breast services. The National Hospitals Office has already planned the redirection of this symptomatic caseload. Additional groups of hospitals will be similarly directed, in line with the further development of quality assured capacity in the eight designated centres.