Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 324: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the action being taken to prevent misdiagnosis at all hospitals here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32572/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I presume the Deputy is referring to the recent incidents of delayed diagnosis in patients with cancer. Unfortunately, even with the best multidisciplinary team involved in the diagnosis of cancer, expert international evidence notes that there may be a failure or delay in diagnosing cancer in up to one per cent of cases. However, by concentrating expertise in the eight designated cancer centres and by having triple assessment, the Director of the Health Service Executive (HSE) National Cancer Control Programme is confident that the chances of misdiagnosis will be minimised.

Last year, I approved National Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services under the Health Act 2007. The implementation of the Standards is an essential element of the quality agenda set out in the National Cancer Control Strategy. The aim of the standards is to ensure that women who develop breast cancer have an equal opportunity to be managed in a centre which is capable of delivering the best possible outcome. The standards require significant reorganisation of breast cancer services to ensure that each centre providing breast cancer care: manages a minimum number of 150 new cases per year; allows for a minimum number of new cases to be managed by a specialist breast surgeon of 50 per year (and a maximum of 150 per year); ensures that such care is provided by a team made up of a surgeon, a radiologist and a pathologist; and has a minimum of two consultants in each of these specialties.

Arising from the designation of eight cancer centres nationally and in order to comply with the Standards, the HSE has directed a number of hospitals to cease breast cancer services. In June last year thirty three hospitals were providing symptomatic breast services. By the end of this year this will have reduced to ten.