Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she proposes to commission a patient impact assessment by consulting with doctors and patients before changes are made in the delivery of cancer services at hospital level. [14219/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The aim of the National Cancer Control Strategy, which was published in June 2006, is to reduce our cancer incidence, morbidity and mortality rates relative to other Member States of the European Union. The Strategy was developed by the National Cancer Forum, a multi-disciplinary expert group, comprising of both professional medical bodies and patient advocacy groups. The Forum recommended that all cancer care should be provided through a national system of four managed cancer control networks.

The delivery of cancer services on a programmatic basis will serve to ensure equity of access to services and equality of patient outcome irrespective of geography. This will involve significant realignment of services to move from the present fragmented system of care to one which is consistent with international best practice in cancer control. 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 consulting with a wide range of informants on how the Programme should be implemented. Prof Keane is also engaging in detailed planning to facilitate the orderly phased transfer of services between locations.