Harney failing cancer patients, says Noonan

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney was yesterday accused of failing cancer patients in the Mid-West who do not have private medical insurance.

Fine Gael TD Michael Noonan hit out at the refusal of the Health Department to approve funding to cover treatment of public patients at the new radiotherapy unit at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

Mr Noonan said the €8.5 million unit was principally funded through the JP McManus golf classic.

He said: “Mary Harney’s department did not contribute a single euro. She is refusing to allocate money to cover the cost of public patients using the facility.”

He said the HSE are “scratching around” trying to make savings while the department stands idly by.

Public patients treated at the recently-opened radiotherapy unit are paid for by the Mid-Western Hospitals Trust.

Mr Noonan said: “About €2m a year is required. Not a huge sum in the context of the €13 billion health budget. But Minister Harney won’t contribute one red cent.”

Mr Noonan also hit out at orthopaedic appliances waiting times.

“The HSE say they have no money so we are left with the crazy situation that patients who had operations in Croom orthopaedic hospital in January and February will not be provided with the orthopaedic appliances until the autumn.”

Mr Noonan will raise both issues with Ms Harney and with HSE chief Professor Brendan Drumm when he appears before the Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Mr Noonan.