Results 601-620 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Some 1,200 staff has also been approved to deliver these improved services throughout the country. I propose to concentrate on the substantial progress in recent years on the development of a comprehensive cancer policy. The Government has invested extensively in a national cancer strategy. Nationally, there has been unprecedented investment in radiation oncology services and a significant...

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I will come to them in a moment. There is broad recognition among health service providers of the significant changes that have taken place in recent years in improving cancer care.

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Between 1995-97 and 1998-2000 overall relative survival from cancer excluding non-melanoma skin cancer increased from 48% to 50% in women and from 38% to 44% for men. For women, there were survival improvements for the four commonest cancers, breast, lung, colorectal and lymphoma. For men, survival improved for almost all cancers, notably for cancer of the prostate and stomach as well as for...

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: This has changed the experience of cancer. There is real hope for patients and families. The Government's focus is to ensure that there is access to services that deliver this experience for each and every person who is diagnosed with cancer. There is no doubt that this is a major challenge to our health services and a major disease, with 20,000 people diagnosed with cancer each year between...

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: However, the number one priority is the development of the "backbone" of the service.

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The position as I understand it was that we had Dublin and Cork. Now we will have Dublin, Cork and Galway. Deputy Cowley should know that the report on the radiation services was prepared with the co-operation of his profession. It is the profession's recommendation. The Deputy must defer to the expertise of those with whom he has worked for the greater part of his life and respect their...

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am not surprised at some of the other Deputies interrupting, but I am surprised at Deputy Cowley in this context.

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: An independent evaluation——

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Deputy Breen did not refer to radiation services in his contribution. An independent evaluation of the 1996 national cancer strategy was launched last December. This report concluded that the key achievement of the 1996 national cancer strategy, a 15% decrease in mortality in the under-65s, was achieved in 2001, three years ahead of target. This reflects the cumulative additional investment...

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Investment to date under the national cancer strategy has enabled the funding of an additional 104 consultant posts, together with support staff in key areas such as medical oncology, radiology, palliative care, histopathology and haematology throughout the country. An additional 245 clinical nurse specialists have also been appointed in the cancer services area. The benefit of this...

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: During the period February 2000 to December 2003, BreastCheck carried out approximately 133,000 screenings and detected around 1,040 cancers.

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The attendance rate for BreastCheck screening is in excess of international standards of 70%, with approximately 77% of those invited attending.

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The next phase, for which I assume Deputy Cowley is calling, is the roll out of the programme to the rest of the country, to which the Government is fully committed. Approval has been given for the establishment of a design team to work up detailed plans for the construction of the clinical units in Cork and Galway.

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Capital funding in the region of €20 million has been earmarked as part of the capital investment programme 2004-08.

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: BreastCheck, the relevant hospitals and the Department are fully committed to the expeditious roll-out to the rest of the country. Representatives have met to progress the design process, the next stage in the process. The cervical screening programme was introduced on a phased basis, with phase one commencing in the Mid-Western Health Board area in October 2000. Under this phase,...

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: This is taking place to test the organisation and delivery of a cervical screening programme in a given area.

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The number of smear tests nationally has increased by almost 20% in recent years and additional cumulative funding of €11 million was provided by the Department since 2002 to assist the laboratories in meeting this demand and improving colposcopy services. The Department is also investing in new technology through extending the use of liquid-based cytology. International evidence is that...

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: This core principle must inform the current organisation of services and how we plan future services across the various modalities of cancer care. The National Cancer Forum is developing a new national cancer strategy. The strategy will be published by the end of the year. We are fortunate that those involved in cancer care provide a professional, high standard of care that is very much...

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am glad of the opportunity to place on the record the substantial developments that have taken place in cancer services.

Health Services: Motion. (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: More needs to be done and nobody takes issue with that. However, a substantial amount has been invested and it is a record any Government can stand over. It is appropriate that this House should commend the Government on its positive and demonstrable commitment to improve health services, especially cancer services.