The National Cancer Registry Ireland released its latest summary report on cancer care and survival rates in relation to centralisation of Irish cancer services. For the report, National Cancer Registry data for 1994-2015 was analysed. The report concludes that the programme of centralisation of cancer services begun by the HSE in 2007 has resulted in a substantial shift of cancer treatment (especially surgery) to eight designated cancer centres in Dublin and other cities, contributing to ongoing improvements in cancer survival. These centres are major publicly-funded hospitals located in Dublin city (four), Cork, Waterford, Limerick and Galway. Treatment in designated centres is, overall, associated with higher survival outcomes than for patients in non-designated public hospitals, even after accounting for differences in age, cancer stage and deprivation status of patients seen in different hospitals. Treatment in private hospitals is also, overall, associated with good survival outcomes and high use of appropriate treatment modalities. The extent to which centralisation may have occurred among private hospitals has not been examined.
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