Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator MacSharry for raising this important issue. This is not the first time I have heard him outline in great detail the need to provide and retain services in the north west. I will reply to the Senator on this issue on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, who is unavoidably absent. I welcome this opportunity to set out the current position in respect of the restructuring of cancer services, with particular reference to Sligo General Hospital.

As the House is aware, Professor Tom Keane has been appointed to lead and manage the establishment of the HSE's national cancer control programme. Professor Keane, who has ambitious plans, has made significant progress in implementing the programme. The key objective of the programme is to ensure equity of access to services and equality of outcome regardless of geography. It will involve a significant realignment of cancer services to move from the present fragmented system of care to a system that is consistent with international best practice in cancer control. The HSE's decision to provide for four managed cancer control networks and eight cancer centres will be implemented on a managed and phased basis. The HSE plans to have completed 50% of the transition of services to the cancer centres by the end of 2008 and between 80% and 90% of the transition by the end of 2009.

The HSE has designated University College Hospital Galway and Limerick Regional Hospital as the two cancer centres in the managed cancer control network for the HSE western region, which includes County Sligo. The designation of cancer centres aims to ensure that patients receive the highest quality care while allowing local access to services, where appropriate. If diagnosis and treatment planning is directed and managed by multidisciplinary teams based at the cancer centres, much of the treatment other than surgery can be delivered in local hospitals, such as Sligo General Hospital. For example, chemotherapy and support services will continue to be delivered locally. Sligo General Hospital has a dedicated 15-bed inpatient oncology unit and a dedicated eight-bed day services unit. Cancer day care units will continue to have an important role in delivering services to patients as close to home as possible.

The implementation of the national quality assurance standards for symptomatic breast disease will ensure that every woman in Ireland who develops breast cancer has an equal opportunity to be managed in a centre which is capable of delivering the best possible results. The standards provide that each specialist unit should manage a minimum number of 150 new breast cancer cases per annum. Sligo General Hospital had 57 such cases in 2006. The National Hospitals Office will transfer full responsibility for all symptomatic breast services to the national cancer control programme by the end of this month. The programme recently completed a detailed review of resource requirements to create capacity for the progressive transfer of all symptomatic breast cancer services to the eight designated cancer centres, with the objective of completing 60% transfer by the end of this year and 90% transfer by the end of 2009. Funding of €5.8 million has been allocated from the programme across the eight centres to support additional staff, including consultant, radiography, nursing and clerical posts. Funding has also been allocated for some necessary additional equipment.

The Government is committed to making the full range of cancer services available and accessible to cancer patients throughout Ireland, in accordance with best international standards. The developments I have outlined will ensure that a comprehensive service is available to all patients with cancer in the western region, including County Sligo. Senator MacSharry has outlined cogently and clearly his faith and trust in the services which are being delivered at Sligo General Hospital. As I have said, Senator MacSharry has raised this important issue on a number of occasions in the context of the success of the unit in Sligo General Hospital. Constituents in the western part of my county who have attended Sligo General Hospital have been extremely happy with the level of service provided there over the years. I will ensure Senator MacSharry's comments are brought to the attention of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.