Dáil debates

Wednesday, 12 March 2008

Cancer Services Reports: Motion

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Chris AndrewsChris Andrews (Dublin South East, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Fleming for allowing me to share time. The implementation of the cancer control strategy is the major priority for this Government, as it is for every member of Fianna Fáil. The overriding objective of the strategy is to deliver high quality, fully integrated, multi-disciplinary cancer care at a national level. Cancer patients deserve nothing less.

Like every other Member of this House, I have had experience of the health services. Most of my experience has been good and I speak highly of the people working on the front line with whom we come into contact. There is no sense that people in the Government are somehow detached from the reality of the health service. People are well aware of the difficulties facing the Minister and the management of the HSE. Professor Drumm is extremely capable and is the right man for the job. Anytime he has come before committees of this House, he has acquitted himself exceptionally well. He has certainly shown that he has a very comprehensive knowledge of his brief.

The reorganisation of cancer services is at the heart of the strategy and it is imperative that the decisions of the HSE on the designated cancer centres are implemented without delay. However, when I hear people like Deputy Perry and go back to my own constituency, I am aware that it is so political. Some Deputies are just looking towards the next election and that is not the way forward. If we are serious in bringing about change, we must bite the bullet sometimes. Deputy Perry's actions would show that we are not willing to do anything and that we want to put our short-term political interests first. We must have a perspective on this.

The implementation of the managed cancer control networks will necessitate a tapering of the additional capacity at the cancer centres. That will be in tandem with the sequential withdrawal of services from other locations. One of the most significant strategic issues facing cancer services is the variation in survival rates in Ireland. We have relatively poor cancer survival rates for many common cancers when compared with other European countries. This can be attributed in part to the fragmentation of cancer surgery services whereby too many hospitals and consultants are involved in the provision of treatment for cancer services. The national cancer control strategy provides a clear framework through which this can be addressed and which will lead to improvements in survival.

This is all about getting the right care for the right person in the right place at the right time. I recently had a knee operation at the sports clinic in Santry. The consultant that operated is experienced. He sees that type of case regularly every week and that has to be the way we deal with our cancer.

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