Cancer patients’ fury as hospital loses specialist
Lives are being put at risk claims sarcoma group
CANCER patients have written an angry letter to the head of St Vincent’s Hospital claiming their lives are being put at risk.
They told Professor Michael Keane of their “outrage” that an internationally renowned sarcoma expert was not appointed following a recent advertising campaign.
Instead it is alleged the hospital recruited a less experienced doctor, one who cannot take up the position for another year.
It is alleged that scores of patients with the rare form of cancer do not have an oncologist specialising in sarcoma to look after them.
“We are incensed by this decision and the sheer contempt it displays for patient wellbeing,” the Sarcoma Ireland committee wrote to Professor Keane, CEO of the Dublin Hospital.
“This is a matter of life and death for sarcoma patients, current and future. Nine of our members have died in as many months. They deserved a Specialist to treat them.”
Demanding an independent review, they added: “This post is being funded by the taxpayers of this country and they are entitled to have their money spent to hire the most experienced candidate.”
Only two doctors applied for the senior oncologist job after what protesters claim was an “ineffectual” advertising campaign which did not look abroad.
One of them, Dr Alexia Bertuzzi, had been working at the hospital for three years on temporary contracts and had started a weekly sarcoma clinic in 2013.
Until then, patients were treated by a variety of oncologists.
Dr Bertuzzi was told in June last year her contract was not being renewed. Sarcoma Ireland wanted her – or someone of equal experience – to get the permanent job because of her expertise.
Now they are demanding to know on what grounds the appointment of a replacement doctor was made.
Last July Health Minister Simon Harris had promised the group that a permanent position for a medical oncologist with a special interest in sarcoma would be created at St Vincent’s Hospital. And the expert would be “at least as experienced” as Dr Bertuzzi.
The action group said that promise had now been broken Cancer patient Susan Keaton said yesterday: “Most GPS will not see one case in their lifetime. We benefited from her expertise hugely. It took a while to get my diagnosis and I had two surgeries before she came.
“I was then told it was inoperable but she found me a surgeon who could do it and she started me on hormone therapy and so far there has been no reoccurrence.
“We are not criticising any other doctors because they are all specialists in their own fields but we need an oncologist who specialises in sarcoma.
“Some varieties are very aggressive and it’s ridiculous that they have appointed someone who won’t be here for a year.”
The Sarcoma Ireland Committee said a panel of 17 interviewed the two candidates but they couldn’t find out who they were.
A St Vincent’s Hospital spokeswoman said: “We are satisfied with the recruitment process undertaken for the appointment of a Medical Oncologist with a special interest in Sarcoma.
“The job description and advertisement of the post was consistent with the approval from the HSE’S Consultant Applications Advisory Committee.
“The interview panel conducted its affairs in a fair and transparent manner.”
Most GPS will not see one case in their lifetime SUSAN KEATON YESTERDAY