Cancer services report
Madam Editor,
The recent report that key time deadlines for the assessment and treatment of patients attending cancer services, are not being met by the HSE ( Irish Independent June 15) is both very disturbing and most alarming. The report also indicates that figures for the first three months of the current year reveal that less than half the men with suspected prostrate cancer are undergoing diagnostic tests within the 20 day target. The time frame recommended to provide patients already diagnosed with the disease, with radiotherapy treatment within 15 days, is also being missed in almost one third of cases. It has also emerged that the deadline of 10 days to assess patients with suspected lung cancer, and to check women who have being referred for routine breast cancer X- rays is also not being met. The report also suggests that the hospitals who are struggling to meet the targets are badly hampered by the shortage of qualified staff, and an adequate number of beds, to cater for an ever increasing number of patients. A number of hospitals including University Hospital Galway and Letterkenny Hospital are unable to see a majority of women referred for amammogram within the required 12 week timeline. These breast cancer services were removed from University Hospital Sligo a number of years ago amid huge protests at the time, and if the powers that be can now be convinced to reverse that decision, it would help to alleviate this potential life- threatening situation for a great many very anxious people in the North- west of our country. It would also free- up many of our overcrowded and bursting at the seams Hospitals North of a Galway- Dublin line. A number of emergency departments have suffered on- going gridlock during the first three months of the year, with many patients leaving before getting any treatment whatsoever. All the while the number of managers appointed by the HSE remain in situ and continues to increase, while our young healthcare professionals emigrate to foreign lands to seek better pay and conditions. Our new Taoiseach Mr. Leo Varadkar a former Health Minister, is now in a unique position to address the problems in our health services, and deliver much needed improvements for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
Yours sincerely,
Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co. Sligo,