Ahern to announce cancer treatment service for south-east

AN TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern is expected to confirm within days that public patients from across the south-east will be allowed receive radiotherapy treatment at Waterford’s new Whitfield Clinic.

Fine Gael TD John Deasy said that if Mr Ahern confirms radiotherapy for public patients at Whitfield when he opens the 65-bed private clinic on Monday, it will be a progressive step.

He raised the issue of radiotherapy for public patients with Health Minister Mary Harney recently. He says her reply indicates the four-hour round trip for public patients in the south-east requiring radiotherapy in Cork and Dublin may be about to end.

Ms Harney said the HSE is considering a request from the Whitfield to provide services to public patients.

Mr Deasy said: “Assuming this announcement is made, it is a step in the right direction. But it is also just an interim measure until we get radiotherapy at Waterford Regional Hospital as promised by 2011.”

Waterford’s Radiotherapy Campaign Committee chairman Dick Roche said the people of Waterford were ready to take to the streets on the issue again if there is any attempt to “fob people off” on services.

“The people of the south-east will not allow anyone to pass Whitfield off as anything more than an interim solution until radiotherapy, as promised, is developed on the grounds of Waterford Regional Hospital,” he said. “The Government’s own reports highlight that best outcome is only achieved when all three strands of cancer care are provided under one roof. That’s what we were promised and that is what we will fight to get.”