David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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280. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to expand cancer services here including additional investment in oncology day wards, operating theatres, community diagnostics, elective only hospitals and a comprehensive cancer centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17874/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The way forward in relation to the development of cancer services is set out in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026. Improvements in cancer services will be achieved on an incremental basis over the period of the Strategy. This will involve a mix of current and capital initiatives.

Improvements in oncology day wards, as well as in community diagnostics for cancer patients, will be addressed in this context.The Strategy commits to the development of a Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre by the end of the Strategy period, and such development is included in the National Development Plan 2018-2027. Investment in operating theatres would be considered in the context of the wider health needs. The National Development Plan 2018-2027 also outlines that new dedicated ambulatory/elective-only hospital facilities will be delivered to tackle waiting lists for scheduled care procedures. This work is being directed through Sláintecare by the Elective Hospitals Oversight Group.

Meanwhile, he HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) is assessing the capacity needs of cancer services in the coming period in view of the Covid pandemic as part of the overall Capacity Plan being prepared by the HSE.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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281. To ask the Minister for Health the additional funding that will be made available to resource diagnostic, radiology and laboratory departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17875/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The adjustment to the Health Vote Revised Estimate for 2020 in relation to the COVID-19 Action Plan is €1,997m. The Revised Estimates Volume for the Health Vote (Vote 38) was passed by the Dáil on Tuesday 30th June.

In accordance with Section 30A(1) and Section 33(B)(1) of the Health Act 2004 (as amended) the Department will shortly issue a revised letter of determination adjusting the maximum amount of non-capital and capital expenditure that can be incurred by the HSE in the financial year 2020.

The funding had been determined based the projected cost for the delivery of the following Actions under Ireland’s National Action Plan

- Cross cutting actions ( including ICT, Testing)

- Communications

- Community Care (including Vulnerable Groups)

- Caring for People in Acute Services

- Expanding Critical Physical Capacity

- Expanding and protecting our Health Workforce

- Maintaining Access to essential health products and equipment

On receipt of the revised allocation for the year the HSE will commence the process of allocating the funding against the expenditure incurred to date in relation to the emergency response measures implemented since March including the GP Covid services, the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme to Private Nursing Homes, Private Hospital Additional Capacity and Testing. In the context of the emergency response measures the main area of additional allocation to diagnostics and laboratory resourcing is in relation to testing. Within the €1,997m, €208m has been allocated to testing and contact tracing.

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented interruption to normal healthcare, with both community and acute settings affected. Across the Health sector, services have been postponed or reduced, although some services have been maintained or restructured to cope better with the COVID Environment.

The HSE launched its Strategic Framework for Service Continuity in a Covid Environment on 24 June to guide the reintroduction of services. The Framework incorporates guiding principles for the re-introduction of services (e.g. safety, equity, patient need) and references a clinical prioritisation hierarchy which has been developed to categorise conditions, treatments and interventions, based on their impact on patients and service users, providing a roadmap to enable a phased approach to the reintroduction of healthcare services.

The HSE will be considering the application of any additional funding to diagnostics, radiology and laboratory resourcing as part of the re introduction of services in line with its Strategic Framework.