Dr. Jerome Coffey:

I am accompanied by my colleague, Dr. Ana Terrés, head of research and evidence of the HSE. We submitted two presentations to the committee already. In this brief opening statement, we would like to focus on the development of cancer services in Ireland over the term of the national cancer strategy to 2026 and the roles of the NCCP and the HSE’s research and evidence function in this.

In May 2015, the steering group and patient forum charged with developing the third national cancer strategy were established. Working on this, it became clear how much had changed in cancer services since publication of the previous strategy in 2006. The programmatic approach and the national scale of organisation and investment have been commended by an international external evaluation panel and are in alignment with EU cancer control principles. Recommendations in the strategy are also consistent with a number of areas in the Sláintecare report, published by the Committee on the Future of Healthcare in May 2017. These include citizen engagement and empowerment, integration of care and meeting population needs, service design care pathways, infrastructure, e-health and quality of care.

As is clear in the implementation report for 2018 published by the Department last month, there has been considerable progress to date. I am particularly pleased that clinical leaders have been appointed in cancer nursing, psycho-oncology and for children, adolescents and young adults with cancer.

In the area of cancer research there is broad agreement, as described here earlier this morning, that permanent funding for core research staff is essential within a HSE framework of support and research governance which will enable the growth of clinical research and facilitate collaboration with both industry and the academic sector.

Developing the strategy, and the initial phase of its implementation, is the result of collaboration between the relevant elements of the healthcare system with the registered charities, greatly enhanced by increasing levels of public and patient involvement. We reiterate the importance of the third national cancer strategy as an appropriately ambitious plan for the further development of cancer prevention and patient care and look forward to the ongoing support of the committee for this work.