The Government is committed to the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy, supported by the reforms and investment delivered under Sláintecare. We have seen significant progress on the implementation of the Strategy over the past nine years.
My Department has invested heavily in the National Cancer Strategy and associated initiatives in recent years, enabling the further development of our national cancer services, and leading to improved outcomes for cancer patients.
National Cancer Registry of Ireland data shows substantial progress being made to control the four major cancers (prostate, breast, lung and colorectal), with mortality rates falling or stabilising for each. These comprise over half of all invasive tumours (not including rarely fatal non-melanoma skin cancers).
It is essential that we continue to build on our investment and progress. As the current National Cancer Strategy comes to its conclusion, an evaluation on the current National Cancer Strategy will be carried out later this year. The evaluation will be carried out by my Department working closely with key stakeholders such as the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme and the National Cancer Registry of Ireland. Stakeholders also include patients and their families, healthcare professionals, government agencies, research institutions and advocacy groups among others.
The evaluation will be informed by The National Cancer Strategy Implementation Reports which annually track the overall progress of the Strategy. The latest Implementation Reports are currently being prepared and finalised prior to publication shortly.
The conclusion of this evaluation process will inform next steps to be taken.
I will continue to work with the National Cancer Control Programme and other stakeholders to progress the actions contained in the strategy. Until satisfactory work has been completed on actions contained in the current strategy, and because the evaluation has not concluded, it would not be appropriate to set deadlines on development or completion of any new strategy.
