Patients may have longer wait for radiotherapy

THE provision of radiotherapy for public patients in Waterford was looking increasingly unlikely yesterday.

No discussions have taken place between the Department of Health, the South Eastern Health Board and the promoters of a private hospital planned for Co

Waterford with a view to providing radiotherapy for public patients in the region, the Health Minister has said.

And the department has not committed any revenue or capital towards such a service in private hospitals, Minister Micheal Martin has insisted.

His comments come just days after party member and Environment Minister Martin Cullen said the electorate in Waterford had given the Government a clear message in the local and European elections about radiotherapy in the region.

He added the parties in power would now be listening more closely to the electorate on the issue. But it now appears the ministers are at loggerheads over the issue.

Mr Cullen said the radiotherapy issue and a local campaign that a vote for Government parties was a vote against cancer services was a huge factor in the party’s loss.

“We want to deliver radiotherapy for Waterford and the people of Waterford obviously want it delivered. That is the issue. We have to continue to work with the people. I’ve every confidence that the party will come back in Waterford, I’ve no doubt about it.

But responding to a Dáil question tabled by Labour’s Brian O’Shea TD just days later, the Minister for Health said his plans for the development of radiation oncology services for the region are in line with the Report of the Expert Working Group. These are developing centres of excellence only in Dublin, Cork and Galway.

“In relation to patients in the south east, significant progress is being made to ensure improved access to radiation oncology services that are in line with best international practice.

“Approval has issued for two additional linear accelerators for the Supra-Regional Centre at Cork University Hospital and the necessary capital investment amounting to over €4 million to commission the service as rapidly as possible.”

In the days before the election, Junior Health Minister Tim O’Malley said there was no reason why a deal could not be struck with the developers of the proposed Waterford hospital to provide cover for public patients. A similar deal had been done in his own constituency in the mid-West, he said.