John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney.

As the Deputy will be aware, the organisation and management of the health services is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. The HSE has advised the Department of Health and Children that in November 2007 the individual was referred to St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin. Owing to the substantial waiting list for specialist radio iodine ablation treatment at that time, the medical team in University College Hospital Galway, UCHG, cancelled the appointment with a view to referring the individual to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London. The HSE has further advised the Department that this referral was not followed through by staff in UCHG due to an administrative error.

The individual was again referred by her consultant to St. Luke's Hospital on 11 March 2008. Scans have been arranged for 28 and 31 July and the individual will be admitted for treatment during the week of 10 August. The HSE would like to apologise to the individual and her family for the distress caused by the prolonged delay in her treatment as a result of a breakdown in the referral process. The HSE will also make every effort to get an earlier appointment for the individual with the consent of her referring clinician.

The Department has sought and received assurances from Professor Tom Keane, director of the HSE national cancer control programme, that efforts are being made to ensure acceptable clinical waiting times for patients requiring radio isotope treatment. Professor Keane has already made significant progress in delivery of the programme to ensure equity of access to services and equality of outcome irrespective of geography.

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