Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has received a report on the progress made by Professor Tom Keane in developing a cancer strategy; if he has had discussions with health service providers in the north west to address the specific issues there; if services will be retained in Counties Sligo and Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9314/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Prof. Keane reported last month to the Cabinet Committee on Health on the significant progress being made in implementing the HSE National Cancer Control Programme. Developments to date include:

The appointment on a part-time basis of National Clinical Leaders in Surgical, Medical and Radiation Oncology;

Cessation of breast cancer surgery in fifteen hospitals with low case volumes;

Agreement with the surgical leads in the eight designated breast cancer centres (i) on a transparent and evidence based resourcing mechanism, benchmarked to best practice (ii) to move to a common referral process, which will allow urgent patients to be seen within two weeks and (iii) to eliminate unnecessary follow-up of previously treated asymptomatic patients; and

Agreement with the Irish Cancer Society on the administration of a grants programme to enable patients to be transported to designated cancer centres.

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 Sligo and Mayo. It is fully recognised that there are particular and unique geographical circumstances applying to Donegal. On a sole exception basis, the Managed Cancer Control Network in the West will therefore be permitted to enter into outreach service delivery in Letterkenny as an additional activity. Thus, the current arrangements in relation to breast cancer will continue in Letterkenny. This exception is subject to quality assurance criteria and also to the proviso that the potential to meet the needs of cancer patients in Donegal through North-South initiatives, such as the provision of radiation oncology services to patients from Donegal at Belfast City Hospital, must be optimised and fully facilitated.

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 Sligo General Hospital and Mayo General Hospital.

There will be a very thorough and inclusive process of dialogue involving all of the cancer clinicians within the areas covered by each of the Managed Cancer Control Networks. Prof. Keane has advised that meetings and discussions are under way with the eight designated centres and with the non-designated hospitals currently providing cancer services, in order to manage the transition.