Written answers

Tuesday, 4 March 2008

Department of Health and Children

Cancer Screening Programme

9:00 pm

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 315: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the Dóchas Centre at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda County Louth. [9232/08]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Based on the National Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services, and the fact that the BreastCheck screening programme will significantly reduce 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 fifteen hospitals with low case volumes to cease breast cancer services. 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 HSE has designated Beaumont Hospital and the Mater Misericordiae Hospital as the two cancer centres in the Managed Cancer Control Network for the HSE Dublin North East, which includes County Louth. The designation of cancer centres aims to ensure that patients receive the highest quality care while at the same time allowing local access to services, where appropriate. Where diagnosis and treatment planning is directed and managed by multi-disciplinary teams based at the cancer centres, then much of the treatment (other than surgery) can be delivered in local hospitals, such as Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.

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