Cancer treatment plan behind schedule

WITH the delivery of the national cancer treatment plan now three years behind schedule, many cancer patients have simply given up any hope of receiving life-saving therapy in their community, Labour’s Liz McManus claimed yesterday.

A new report reveals the €400 million treatment centres, equipped with the latest radiation technology to treat public patients, will not be ready until 2014, although promised by 2011.

The national network for radiation oncology services was announced two years ago by Health Minister Mary Harney. The network will consist of four large centres in Dublin and two integrated satellite centres in Waterford and Limerick.

“This network is the fastest, most cost-effective and most innovative way of building up top quality cancer services,” the minister said at the time.

But building of the centres will only start by mid-2011, according to the latest government report from within the Department of Finance.

The expert group that recommended the centres in 2003 warned the lack of services resulted in only 20% of cancer patients being treated, when up to 60% could benefit.

Ms McManus said it was clear that the plan continued to be beset by errors, delays and overspending.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) said it was “actively engaging” in continuing discussions with the Department of Health on the provision of the radiotherapy services. It also confirmed that the procurement of interim radiotherapy facilities at St James’s and Beaumont hospitals was already under way.