Breast cancer sufferers get snubbed over travel support
Tuesday November 13 2007
NO special travel supports will be made available to the hundreds of breast-cancer patients who must now travel to Dublin hospitals from the Midlands, it was confirmed yesterday.
Those deemed medically fit have to make their own arrangements. However, the Health Service Executive (HSE) said medical card holders, who don't have means of travel, can avail of existing schemes and apply for "suitable transport services".
Some non-medical card holders who have a social need can also seek support and there will also be help for those, who because of their condition, need "appropriate" transport.
A spokesperson for Mullingar Hospital confirmed yesterday that following last week's HSE decision to close its breast cancer service no new patients will be seen there.
However, she said existing appointments would go ahead. The unit sees around 650 patients a year but only around 26 of these are newly diagnosed with cancer. The hospital has also not been conducting multidisciplinary meetings and its surgeon Peter McGill is to retire in a few months.
GPs in the region were told yesterday that appointments for mammograms already arranged at the hospital would be honoured, and patients returning for care to Mr McGill would continue to be seen until their treatment was completed.
Patients from Mullingar will in future be diagnosed and treated in the Mater in Dublin, while women who previously went to Portlaoise Hospital for mammograms and other tests will have to travel to St Vincent's in Dublin.
An HSE spokesman in Dublin said the national needs of all patients who have to travel distances for hospital treatment were being looked at by an internal patient transport policy group and it would develop a uniform system of supports and identify the appropriate funding arrangements to implement the recommendations.
Opposition
There was further opposition to moves to shut down any more breast cancer services yesterday as the Irish Practice Nurses Association in Mayo objected to any closure of the unit in Mayo General.
The nurses said: "We understand that over €250,000 was raised by the people of Mayo specifically for equipment for the breast unit, this equipment is currently in use and should still be useful until the end of 2012."
In another development, Health Minister Mary Harney yesterday denied responsibility for the delay in the rollout of a proposed national cervical screening programme. It now looks like it will not be ready until March at least.
- Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent
