Clampdown on cancer care causing €2.7m overspend

A CLAMPDOWN on referring day-care cancer patients to Dublin hospitals contributed to a €2.7m overspend by the Midland Health Board (MHB) for the first seven months of the year.

A financial review presented to board members by MHB chief executive Paul Gaughan said the overspend was primarily due to the higher costs associated with increased day-to-day activity in the treatment of cancer patients, particularly day-case activity in the oncology speciality, which has already exceeded its planned full year target.

"This is the most expensive day speciality due to the high and increasing cost of cancer drugs," he said.