Cancer care ‘has private bias’ in south-east

THE Government is to come under unprecedented pressure to deliver radiotherapy for public as well as private patients at a new hospital which Taoiseach Bertie Ahern opens in Waterford next week.

Mr Ahern will officially open the e40 million, private Whitfield Clinic on the edge of Waterford city on Monday.

However, despite a commitment by Transport Minister Martin Cullen that all patients would be treated there, irrespective of their means, no service agreement has yet been reached with the HSE which would allow public patients to be treated there.

If no service agreement is reached, public patients will still face a torturous four-hour return journey to Dublin or Cork for their five-minute radiotherapy treatment, while those with health insurance will be treated on their doorstep.

Cancer campaigner, Jane Bailey, says it is imperative public patients, particularly those who are seriously or terminally ill, are treated at Whitfield until the service for everyone at Waterford Regional Hospital is delivered in 2011.

“The Taoiseach is coming to this region on Monday to open a facility where there is no in-patient hospice,” Ms Bailey said. “The hospice movement itself recognises that an extraordinary effort is needed to give a service in the south-east which is similar to the rest of the country. A e6m investment would be required, just to bring us up to par.”

The HSE confirmed that talks between the south-east hospital group and the National Hospital Office of the HSE are continuing. But there are no plans to provide radiotherapy for public patients in Waterford this year.

Even if the HSE was granted funding for patients, it would first have to enter into a public procurement process and advertise for tenders for the service, the spokesperson confirmed.

City councillor, Seamus Ryan, said: “Cancer patients should be treated within the region. The Government must fund public patients at Whitfield immediately.”

Last May, Mr Cullen, vowed that public patients would be treated at the Whitfield Clinic.

“We have to maximise the facilities available to the public and ensure that everyone has full access to all of the facilities. Public patients are being treated in private hospitals all over the country as we speak.

“At this facility, many public patients requiring many different types of disciplines, not just radiotherapy, will be treated,” he said.