Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

116. To ask the Minister for Health if waiting time targets for cancer diagnoses are being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29067/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The HSE’s National Cancer Control Programme set up Symptomatic Breast Disease clinics and Rapid Access Clinics for Lung and Prostate cancer at eight designated cancer centres over the period 2009-2012. A symptomatic breast cancer service was also set up in Letterkenny University Hospital as a satellite of the Galway University Hospital service.

These clinics provide high quality diagnostic services to patients with symptoms indicating possible breast, lung or prostate cancer. Data on Rapid Access Clinic attendances in all cancer centres are captured monthly, with the April 2017 report being the most recent. Many hospitals services are meeting target time frames. However, issues with respect to achieving targets are being experienced in some cancer centres.

The national target for Symptomatic Breast Disease clinics is that 95% of all urgent referrals are offered an appointment within 10 working days of the date of receipt of a referral letter. In April 74.6% of patients were offered an appointment within this time frame.

With regards to lung cancer Rapid Access Clinics, the national target is also that 95% of all lung cancer patients are offered an appointment within 10 working dates of the date of receipt of the referral letter. In April 85.4% of patients were offered appointments within 10 days.

The national target for prostate cancer Rapid Access Clinics is that 90% of all prostate cancer patients are offered an appointment within 20 working days of the date of the receipt of a referral letter. A total of 43.3% of patients were seen within 20 working days in April.

A review of cancer Rapid Access Clinics and Symptomatic Breast Disease clinics across all cancer centres has been undertaken by the National Cancer Control Programme and has been finalised recently. A set of recommendations for hospitals and Hospital Groups to support sustainable improvement in the performance of clinics was developed and implementation has begun.

Performance of clinics will continue to be closely monitored with a view to ensuring improvement over a period of time so that patients are seen within the target ranges at all centres.