BREAST UNIT IN NEW MOVE
SLIGO BREASTCHECK MOBILE UNIT NO LONGER FACILITATED AT CARRAROE RETAIL PARK
THE BreastCheck mammogram service which was due to operate in Sligo town this month is remaining in Tubbercurry for the next 6-7 weeks.
There was anger and frustration expressed over the weekend after women who were due for a mammogram in Sligo in the coming weeks were told by letter they would have to travel to Teach Laighne, Tubbercurry in the interim.
A spokesperson for BreastCheck told The Sligo Champion last evening that it was “a fairly logistical” reason why they wouldn’t be returning to their usual spot in Carraroe Retail Park.
“The Management company had changed and unfortunately they just weren’t able to facilitate us. We had to look elsewhere,” she said.
BreastCheck sourced a location on Teeling Street, Collooney - the closest they could get to Sligo town - which will open late May/early June.
A decision was made to still invite women to the Tubbercurry unit rather than delaying their mammogram but the spokesperson said women were free to defer their appointments until they open in Collooney if they so wish.
Councillors Declan Bree and Chris MacManus tabled emergency motions on the issue at the Sligo County Council meeting.
ANGER and frustration has greeted a decision to remove the Breastcheck mobile clinic from Sligo with women being told to travel to Tubbercurry instead.
Social media was awash with complaints from women who are demanding an answer as to why the service will not be returning to its regular stand at Sligo Retail Park at Carraroe having previously been located at the grounds of Sligo Racecourse.
In recent days women due for examination in Sligo have been sent letters stating that its site in Sligo town had been withdrawn and “rather than delay offering you an appointment, we have scheduled an appointment in an alternative location until we can find a new site nearer Sligo town.”
The letter also states that the person could be assured that in two years’ time when theyy would be called again for their next screening appointment they would be offered an appointment in Sligo.
The matter was raised at Monday’s meeting of Sligo County Council where an emergency motion on the topic was tabled by Councillor Declan Bree.
He said he has been contacted by many constituents who were dismayed, annoyed and angry at the failure to provide the screening service on a site in the Sligo urban area.
“People find it difficult to comprehend why this has happened. The National Screening Service has an obligation to ensure that its services are accessible for all eligible women. It is my understanding that BreastCheck has a well developed and standardised approach to selecting potential sites for its mobile screening unit. I am aware that they identify in advance a site capable of meeting the needs of service users balanced against the multiple technical and operational require- mentsments of the serviceservice. CCriteria for such a site include a central location accessible by public transport with car parking facilities and toilet and refreshment facilities nearby. Screening units have been sited in a range of locations countrywide including hospitals, retail parks, council and civic offices and community centres. In this context, and given the number of potential sites in Sligo town, I am at a loss to understand why this problem has occurred.
“Taking into consideration the fact that the Breast Cancer service was removed from Sligo General Hospital, and taking into consideration the many broken promises made to cancer service campaigners in Sligo by Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fail politicians, I can well understand the level of distrust and anger currently being expressed by women in this community.
“This matter needs to be resolved now and the Minister for Health, the National Screening service and HSE need to act without further delay.” said Cllr Bree. His motion was passed unanimously having been seconded by Cllr Gino O’Boyle .