Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if it is her intention to establish and appropriately resource a network of specialist breast centres to which every woman here would be assured of access; if she will ring-fence funding to appropriately resource and staff such centres to ensure the best possible outcome for patients; if NQA standards will be implemented in such centres with a view to their independent accreditation by HIQA; if appropriate supports including travel and accommodation will be provided for women who need to travel for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment; if she will provide a clear time-scale for implementation of this programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32645/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Last June I approved National Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services under the Health Act 2007. The aim of the Standards is to 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 outcome. Based on the Standards, and the fact that the BreastCheck screening programme will reduce significantly the number of symptomatic breast cancer presentations, the Health Service Executive (HSE) determined that we require a total of eight specialist breast cancer centres nationally.

In order to comply with the Standards, the HSE has directed a number of hospitals with very low case volumes to cease breast cancer services. The National Hospitals Office has already planned the redirection of this symptomatic caseload. Further staged reductions in the number of hospitals providing breast cancer services will occur over the next two years in line with the development of quality assured capacity in the eight designated centres. The Standards were mandated by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). HIQA is planning to roll out a review of breast disease services shortly and as part of this will be reviewing the eight designated centres against the Standards.

The HSE is conducting a fundamental review of how transport services are provided which will take into account the decisions made in relation to the designation of cancer centres. The HSE is also putting in place a structured programme of quality assurance, support and information services to underpin the re-organisation of services so as to ensure that cancer patients will receive quality services as close to home as possible.

To ensure that we improve our planning and evaluation of cancer needs, my Department has asked the HSE to prepare a robust needs assessment for cancer control for the period to 2012 to reflect priorities in cancer control, equitable distribution and priority setting that maximises efficiency and reduces dependency on hospital in-patient care. Prof. Keane, National Cancer Control Director, and the HSE have emphasised the importance of mobilising existing resources and redirecting them to achieve the National Cancer Control Programme objectives. I understand that the HSE is putting arrangements in place to enable Prof. Keane to take control of all new cancer developments from 1 January 2008 and progressively all existing cancer services and related funding and staffing. An additional €20.5m was allocated to the HSE this year for cancer control. Further investment in cancer control will be based on the reform programme now being implemented by the HSE.