Regions denied ‘best outcome’ cancer services
These patients have been set aside by the Hollywood Report on Radiotherapy and the Cancer Forum which has produced a new cancer strategy which recommends a restructuring of Ireland's cancer services. The critical concern with both of these reports is that while regional cancer units will treat the four main cancers, of which there is to be a 41% increase, regional cancer units are to be denied the "ideal" cancer site. The "ideal" cancer site offers best outcome for cancer patients with up to a 20% improvement in mortality.
Shamefully, these reports advocate reserving radiotherapy an essential element of cancer treatment for "supra" units in Dublin, Cork and Galway.
They have cherry picked international evidence on "multidisciplinary" cancer care whereby best outcome is achieved by providing three cancer treatments; surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, on one site. It is on this basis that the decision to phase out St Luke's radiotherapy facility was made, and to build two new cancer centres in Dublin offering the three treatments on one site.
They have recommended that patients outside Dublin, Cork and Galway would travel for one modality of cancer treatment, radiotherapy, against international evidence of best practice.
A centralised radiotherapy service will essentially deny thousands of cancer patients outside Dublin, Cork and Galway best outcome.
In the north west, patients are at a very significant distance from centralised radiotherapy in Dublin and the population which is over 65 years is above the national average.
No provision has been made for these patients within the Hollywood Report on Cancer Strategy. Links with radiotherapy services in Northern Ireland have been acknowledged as unrealistic.
The message from CCA is simple: A cancer service for all irrespective of where you live.
The reality is that 20,000 families a year open the door to a cancer diagnosis, and that figure is set to double.
It is essential on a regional basis that every family will have access to best outcome, that is, multidisciplinary cancer care. CCA's vision for cancer services is that cancer services will be made a central priority of our Government.
Even as €525 million is made available for our roads and €262m for our train fleet, just €23.5m per annum is available for developing our cancer service, which one in three of us will need.
It is a national shame that the political will to invest in regional cancer services to drive up screening, detection and treatment programs is absent. The challenge for each and every family in the country is to play their part in making cancer services a central priority of the Government so that all of our families, wherever they live, know that they will receive best treatment and care, bringing them hope in their battle.
Given that every 30 minutes another family has to face up to the challenge of cancer, it is time for our Taoiseach and Government to respond to the epidemic with multi-annual funding for the development of regional services.
Jane Bailey is PRO of the Cancer Care Alliance.
