Ms Averil Power:

Other cancer-specific things would be centralisation. I mentioned that where centralisation of cancer surgeries has taken place data has been published to show that it has significantly improved outcomes for those cancers. The centralisation programme as a whole has not been completed and is particularly important for some of the rarer cancers that have not yet been centralised. That is very important. We mentioned protected surgical time and theatre time and Ms Morrogh touched on cancer services not competing with road traffic or other emergencies that come into hospitals, and not competing for beds with Covid-19 and flu. I know the Deputy has spoken about this every year and before Covid-19 also, but that is a constant issue. Another one is protected time for research. Internationally we know the best cancer centres and we do not yet have a comprehensive cancer centre in Ireland. In the best cancer centres the doctors have protected time for research so they are not having to try to find time for research on top or a busy clinical load. That is really important.

Another cancer-specific one and I know is an issue for all conditions is direct GP access to diagnostics. If it especially important for cancer and direct access has improved over the past few years but there is still more that can be done to ensure GPs can send people directly for cancer tests.