Cancer Society calls for patient travel scheme

THE Irish Cancer Society has called on the Government to consider introducing a scheme to provide accommodation and travel expenses for cancer patients forced to travel long distances to receive radiotherapy treatment.

The chairman of the ICS medical committee, Dr John Kennedy, yesterday urged Health Minister Mary Harney to conduct a review of the costs incurred by patients living in more remote parts of the country.

It followed the announcement earlier this week by the Tánaiste of a €400 million programme to develop a nationwide network of cancer treatment centres.

Support groups in the north-west have expressed concern that patients will have to travel to Belfast for radiotherapy as part of the programme to develop major treatment centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway by 2011, with smaller satellite facilities at Waterford and Limerick.

Although the ICS has voiced strong support in favour of the programme, Dr Kennedy said the Government should examine the possibility of introducing a hospital travel costs scheme.

He recommended a scheme similar to one already available to cancer patients in Britain which should also cover the cost of overnight accommodation.

“We have to make all efforts to make the cancer experience more comfortable for our patients,” said Dr Kennedy.

He welcomed the proposed provision of hostel facilities in the new centres but said the Government could still go further to minimise the distress of patients by the use of imaginative solutions to address concerns about travel and accommodation.

In relation to criticism of the plan by patient groups in the Donegal region, Dr Kennedy said the use of Belfast City Hospital “makes an awful lot of sense as it is a natural hinterland for cancer patients from the north-west”.

Dr Kennedy said better use of existing radiotherapy facilities could also be achieved through the introduction of a “more patient-friendly time schedule” whereby the health service would operate a longer working day.

Meanwhile, Ms Harney has defended her decision not to locate any new facility for cancer care in the north-west despite local opposition to the exclusion of the region from planned new services.

“To establish a centre in Donegal or the north-west that would stand alone and isolated would not deliver the best cancer care,” said the minister.

Speaking on RTÉ radio, she said: “Going to Belfast in the short term will be easier for the vast majority of patients in Donegal than travelling to Dublin.”

However, Ms Harney promised that the possible development of a satellite centre in either Derry or Letterkenny would be examined in the autumn.