Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 760 and 761 together.

The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) advise that the provision of systemic anti-cancer therapies (SACT) for patients with cancer can include many other additional elements to support the patient in the management of adverse effects associated with their treatment. Scalp cooling is an example of one such supportive care measure.

There are 26 public hospitals providing SACT in Ireland. A patient’s consultant will consider each patient’s supportive care requirements, taking into account the individual patient, their treatment, and the evidence relating to the supportive care measure.

There is no clinical consensus on the use of scalp cooling as a supportive care measure for patients with cancer undergoing SACT. It is made available in some of the public hospitals providing SACT, based on suitability of the patient, local availability of equipment, service needs and capacity.

A scalp cooling service is provided in seven hospitals nationally. These include St Vincent’s University Hospital, University Hospital Limerick, Cork University Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital, St. Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny, Sligo University Hospital, Cavan General Hospital. The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore had previously provided this service, but the service was paused during the pandemic and has not yet resumed.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of healthcare equipment, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.