Private hospital could mean end to nightmare trips for cancer patients
Saturday December 17 2005
Guidera
A NEW private hospital planned for Letterkenny, Co Donegal, could bring much-needed radiotherapy services to the north west within three years.
Plans for the multi-million euro 80-bed private hospital, the Wyndale Clinic, to be situated adjacent to Letterkenny General Hospital are being advanced by a local company, North West Healthcare Ltd.
The clinic, which could be up and running by the end of 2008, would not only provide relief for the chronic bed shortage at Letterkenny General, but could also include a new state-of-the-art radiotherapy service which would end arduous journeys to Dublin for cancer patients.
The proposals were announced as new research highlighted the benefits of radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer patients.
The findings, published in the Lancet yesterday, show that the risk factor of a recurrence of cancer after a lumpectomy fall from 26pc to just 7pc if the patient receives radiotherapy.
It has previously emerged in Donegal that many breast cancer patients opt out of radiotherapy treatment or opt for radical mastectomy surgery to avoid the hellish bus journeys to Dublin for treatment.
Blow
A campaign led by cancer patients for the provision of the service in Donegal was dealt a blow last month when Health Minister Mary Harney revealed that treatment for Donegal patients could be provided at a new centre in Belfast.
But this was rejected by the Donegal Action for Cancer Group, which claimed that it would involve similar journey times to Dublin for many people.
Just last week, HSE Chief Executive, Brendan Drumm, made it clear that the number of cancer patients in the north west did not justify basing a public radiotherapy service in the region.
But private hospital promoter and former NWHB boss, Pat Harvey, has expressed confidence that the viability of such a unit in the Wyndale Clinic could be proven.
He has revealed that the company is in advanced discussions with a number of international providers of radiotherapy treatment who were "keenly interested" in bringing the service to Letterkenny.
He added that Mrs Harney was aware of the plans, although as yet no formal discussions had taken place.
