Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, to the House. This morning I wish to raise the need for treatment services for persons with lymphoedema. As the Minister of State is aware lymphoedema is a condition of painful swelling in body tissue. It can affect any part of the body but usually develops in the arms and-or legs. Once lymphoedema has developed it is a lifelong condition. The best model of care is for patients to have local access to drainage, bandaging and compression garments. It can occur genetically or following cancer treatment, in particular breast cancer.

Approximately 15,000 to 16,000 people in this country have lymphoedema. I understand a model of care has been agreed in the past month following a report that was produced in March 2018 but finally signed off in the past month. The question now is about the implementation of that model of care. My understanding is that if the model of care is introduced it will generate savings of approximately €13 million per annum in real terms. Rather than people being admitted to hospital for treatment, this is a proposal for continuous care where it deals with issues as they arise and ensures that there are services at a local level for patients. This model is about ensuring that the 15,000 to 16,000 people with this condition stay out of the hospital system but have appropriate care that meets their needs as they arise.

Progress has been made about agreement on a model of care, now the next step is the implementation of this model. I am asking the Minister of State about the planned implementation of this model of treatment.