THE COST of establishing a national bowel cancer screening programme cannot be met from within existing cancer screening resources, a new report from the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has found.
However, it is understood Minister for Health Mary Harney, who received the as yet unpublished report last month, is now considering diverting money from elsewhere in the health sector so that she will be in a position to announce the go-ahead for a national bowel cancer screening programme on budget day.
The report from Hiqa was ordered by Ms Harney in June after separate studies found a national bowel cancer screening programme would result in a 36 per cent reduction in deaths from the disease.
About 900 people die from bowel cancer in the State each year.
The Irish Times has learned Hiqa’s report makes it clear that additional funding will be required if a bowel cancer screening programme is to be set up.
Informed sources said “new resources” would have to be provided or there would have to be a “diversion” of existing health service resources.
Minimal resources will be required for the first two years of the programme’s planning phase, but from year three on, when screening would commence, it is estimated the costs involved would be between €10 and €15 million per annum.
The Irish Cancer Society has already offered a donation of €1 million to kick-start the programme. Ms Harney indicated in June she would “not be turning down” the offer.
The two separate reports in June recommending the introduction of a national bowel cancer screening programme for people aged 55 to 74 years were published by Hiqa and the National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS).
The NCSS’s report said €1 million would be required to begin preparatory work on the programme in year one, €6 million in year two and that screening would then cost €15 million in the first full year of operation. It also said at least four new screening centres costing €13 million to €14 million would be required.
When these reports were published Ms Harney asked Hiqa to identify “innovative ways” of introducing the screening programme “within existing resources”. She has now received Hiqa’s report saying it can’t be done from existing cancer screening funding. However, Hiqa’s report has suggested that existing facilities rather than new screening centres could be used, which would reduce costs.
A spokesman for Hiqa said the report was sent to Ms Harney last month and the authority hoped to be in a position to publish it soon.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Ms Harney said she was considering the report. “And her views around the colorectal screening programme as a priority remain,” he said.
Prof Tom Keane, head of the State’s national cancer control programme, has pointed to bowel cancer screening as being cost-effective.