Harney announces new cancer treament network

A national network for radiation oncology services is to be put in place by 2011 at a cost of over €400 million, it was announced today.

There will be an increase of 23 linear accelerators to bring the total up to 36.

The network will consist of four large centres comprising of St James' Hospital and Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, Cork University Hospital and University College Hospital in Galway.

St James' will have 13 linear accelerators, Beuamont 7, Cork 7 and Galway 5.

In addition to the four large centres there will also be satellite centres in Waterford (two linear accelerators to be integrated with Cork Univeristy Hosiptal) and Limerick (two linear accelerators University College Hospital in Galway).

Speaking at the launch, the Tánaiste and Minster for Health, Mary Harney, said "the plan will deliver that expertise to all cancer patients, by arranging for services to be provided by multi-disciplinary teams covering, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy."

Ms Harney said the centres would cost around €72m annually to run and the initial cost of over €400 million would be funded through public-private partnership.

She added that there was cabinet approval for more than €100 million of the funding and that the rest would come from private funding.

The Tánaiste said that the best solution in the short-term for patients in the North-Western area would be to facilitate access to radiation oncology services in Belfast City Hospital. However, Ms Harney added that she was looking into the provision of a satelite centre in the North West that would be linked to Belfast City Hosiptal.