Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 113: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps she plans to take to develop hospice and palliative care services as mentioned in the programme for Government; the timeline for funding for these services; the timeline for implementation of the key recommendations of the national cancer strategy; the funding that will be in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17616/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government is committed to further developing palliative care throughout Ireland. My Department and the Health Service Executive (HSE) are working in partnership with the voluntary sector in planning for the development of palliative care services in line with the recommendations of the report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care (2001).

Funding is being provided for the development of such services on an incremental basis in line with the recommendations in the Report and in the context of available resources and workforce planning across the health service. Additional funding of €5 million was announced in Budget 2007. This funding is being used to improve palliative care services in consultation with the newly established Regional Development Committees.

Also in 2007, my Department will be working with the HSE on developing a paediatric palliative care policy in line with the Report. The HSE, which is now charged with the operational responsibility for delivery of healthcare services is also committed to a number of further initiatives this year including rolling out the Minimum Data-Set for Palliative Care Services and agreeing a framework for National Standards for Palliative Care with the relevant stakeholders.

In relation to the National Cancer Control Strategy, the aim of the Strategy which was published in June 2006, is to reduce our cancer incidence, morbidity and mortality rates relative to other Member States of the European Union. This Government is committed to investing significantly in the implementation of the Strategy to build on the improvements we have made in recent years, particularly the improvements in survival in all the major cancers.

The HSE, at my Department's request, is conducting a national needs assessment for cancer control which will set out priorities in the medium term. I have made available an additional €20.5m this year for cancer control. This is an increase of 74% on the comparable 2006 investment and includes €3.5m to support the initial implementation of the HSE National Cancer Control Programme. The Programme will manage, organise and deliver cancer control on a whole population basis. It will have a strong emphasis on prevention and early detection, integrated across primary, hospital, supportive and palliative care. The Service Plan of the HSE for this year sets out the detailed deliverables of the Programme. This includes the establishment of the leadership team to implement the Programme, including the Director of the Programme and key medical leaders at network level.