James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will confirm that an audit of services is taking place at Sligo General Hospital; if this audit covers breast cancer services, all cancer services and all services; if this audit is being carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority, the terms of reference for the audit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12938/08]

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding the withdrawal of mammographical and breast cancer surgery services at Sligo General Hospital; if, in view of the audit of services at the hospital to be carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority, she will provide assurances that all cancer services will be retained in the likely event of a positive report from the HIQA audit on the high quality of cancer care currently being provided at Sligo General Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12961/08]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the purpose of the audit to be conducted in Sligo General Hospital by the Health Information and Quality Authority; the criteria under which the HIQA is carrying out this audit; if the outcomes of this audit will be made public; the timeframe for this publication; and if the retention or withdrawal of diagnostic and surgical breast care cancer services is contingent on the outcome of the HIQA assessment. [13409/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 177, 181 and 221 together.

The Health Service Executive (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. 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 multidisciplinary 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. In this context, chemotherapy and support services will continue to be delivered locally. Cancer day care units, including at Sligo General Hospital, will continue to have an important role in delivering services to patients as close to home as possible.

The decisions of the HSE in relation to four managed cancer control networks and eight cancer centres will be implemented on a managed and phased basis. Professor Tom Keane, Director of the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme, is currently engaging in detailed planning to facilitate the orderly phased transfer of services between locations. The key objective of the National Cancer Control Programme is to ensure equity of access to services and equality of patient mortality and survival irrespective of geography. This will involve significant re-alignment of cancer services to move from the present fragmented system of care to one which is consistent with international best practice in cancer control.

Following the publication of the National Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) advised that it would be conducting a quality review of the implementation of these standards. HIQA will work closely with Professor Keane to ensure that this review supports the move toward the eight cancer centres and assures the safe transition of services in the remaining centres. My Department has requested HIQA to respond directly to the Deputies in relation to the specific queries raised by them about the audit.