Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Health if he will, as a matter of urgency, restore the mammography services to Sligo General Hospital in order to alleviate the stress on patients travelling to University Hospital Galway and to alleviate the stress on services at UHG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8917/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to ensuring that quality and optimal care are paramount in decisions about the provision of services throughout the health system. There is no specific date for the resumption of follow-up mammography services in Sligo for women who have previously had a diagnosis of, and treatment for, breast cancer. The recruitment of additional radiographers at University Hospital Galway (UHG) is necessary to allow the service to resume in Sligo, through a radiographer travelling from Galway to provide this service. However, due to issues including the retirement/transfer of existing staff, it has not yet been possible to increase the complement of radiographers at UHG.

As one of the two designated centres for the HSE West region, Galway has a critical mass of expertise, sufficient throughput of cases and relevant multidisciplinary specialist skills in cancer services which, as confirmed by international evidence, achieve the best outcomes for patients. The Director of the National Cancer Control Programme keeps the provision of breast cancer services in all designated cancer centres under review.

In-patient, day care and outpatient medical oncology, as well as chemotherapy services, continue as always to be provided at Sligo General Hospital. It is important to note that some 96% of women who attend the Galway unit do not have cancer, and only one visit is normally necessary. For the small number diagnosed with breast cancer, some 85% will require radiotherapy as well as surgery, which would involve treatment in Galway in any event.