John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the status of a joint North-South feasibility study on the potential for future co-operation in the health area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12968/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has designated University College Hospital Galway (UCHG) 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. Patients from Sligo needing radiotherapy continue to be referred to the Radiation Oncology Department at UCHG for treatment.

I met with Minister Michael McGimpsey of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), Northern Ireland on 28 November last. The potential for further cross-Border co-operation and collaboration in relation to cancer care, and specifically, provision of a satellite centre for radiation oncology in the North West, linked to Belfast City Hospital was discussed. Consideration of a satellite centre in the North West will have regard to populations in Border counties e.g. Donegal, Derry, and possibly parts of Fermanagh and Tyrone. It was agreed that both Departments would progress this issue through the Joint North/South Feasibility Study on the potential for future co-operation. In this context my Department has provided data on cancer incidence in border counties to the DHSSPS. It is expected that the Study relating to radiation oncology services will conclude in a few months time.