Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1637. To ask the Minister for Health the steps she will take to recruit and fund the appropriate number of professionals (details supplied) to meet the demands of the increasing number of cancer patients and survivors employed in the public health service in their local communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11398/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Since its publication in 2017, funding of €105 million has been invested in the National Cancer Strategy, including €23 million in 2025. This has enabled the recruitment of over 670 staff to our national cancer services, including 200 nursing staff, 100 consultants, and 180 health and social care professionals in designated cancer centres. Funding in 2025 will support recruitment of 179 additional staff to national cancer screening and treatment services.

The National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) is committed to supporting the Health and Social Care Profession (HSCP) roles, with additional posts planned across the country for 2025. In recent years, the NCCP has allocated posts to, for example, physiotherapy, dietetics, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and medical social work. Since 2019, there has been 30% growth in the number of whole-time equivalent posts across HSCPs, bringing the total number of HSCPs across all services to more than 8,200. It is also important to note that HSCPs in a community setting may not be assigned to one particular disease pathway.

In addition to HSCP posts that support cancer patients among their client base, there are psychosocial supports for cancer patients delivered in hospital and community settings. These services are informed by the Model of Care for Psycho-Oncology. Many Community Cancer Support Centres, which are independently run, provide access to the psychological and holistic supports required by cancer patients in the community. In 2025, €5.5 million in funding has been allocated to the NCCP Alliance of Community Cancer Support Centres, which deliver supports to cancer patients and their families in the community.