Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for decisions in relation to the referral of patients to a private treatment facility, where appropriate. Factors which are relevant to such a decision include assessment of patient need, existing service availability, indemnity and quality assurance.

The Health Service Executive, western area, has informed my Department that it is working with the Galway clinic to develop protocols or care pathways to deal with patients who require radiotherapy, mainly for emergency and short-term palliative purposes. My Department has been advised that approximately 50 public patients have been referred to the clinic to date.

The western area of the executive is confident that the supra-regional radiation oncology centre at University College Hospital Galway will be fully commissioned and ready to treat patients in March 2005. Last year, approval issued for the appointment of 102 staff for this unit, together with additional ongoing revenue funding of €12 million to cater for this expansion. Approval issued for the appointment of an additional consultant medical oncologist and three consultant radiation oncologists, two of whom have significant sessional commitments to the north-western and mid-western areas. Key staffing is in place, with two consultant radiation oncologists taking up posts in February and March. The HSE western area has been requested to prepare a development control plan to facilitate the expansion from three to six linear accelerators in the medium term. The capital project team is working to develop a brief for this expansion.

As recommended in the report on the development of radiation oncology services in Ireland, the national radiation oncology co-ordinating group has been established. The group comprises clinical, technical, managerial, academic and nursing expertise from different geographic regions. The group's remit encompasses recommending measures to facilitate improved access to existing and planned services, including transport and accommodation. The group will also advise on quality assurance protocols and guidelines for the referral of public patients to private facilities.

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