Politicians criticise closure of Mullingar cancer service

THE decision to end all breast cancer services in Mullingar last night has been strongly criticised by prominent politicians in the midlands.

Willie Penrose, Labour’s enterprise spokesman and a TD for Longford-Westmeath, expressed serious concern about the cessation of the services at Mullingar Regional Hospital from next January.

He said that patients were getting no clear indication as to what alternative services will be available for them.

“There have been no complaints about breast cancer services at Mullingar and the women who have been attending there under the consultant, Mr Peter Magill, regard it as a first class service.

“Mullingar serves a substantial catchment area, with 630 women treated there last year. What guarantees are there that Dublin will have the capacity to cater for them?

“We have been promised centres of excellence, but there are serious questions about the financing and resourcing of these facilities. It is not acceptable to close reliable local facilities without a clear efficient and assessable alternative,” he said.

The closure of Mullingar means that there will be no breast services in the midlands following the suspension of services in Portlaoise.

A Fine Gael senator from the same constituency also demanded that the HSE outline alternative arrangements for the 600 women who use the service annually.

Senator Nicky McFadden demanded to know the criteria used to justify the shutting down of the service.

“This is especially important after concerns have been voiced that Dublin hospitals are operating near full capacity when it comes to treating and diagnosing breast cancer,” she said.

“The provision of a comprehensive cancer service for the entire population based around safety and quality, not geography, is urgently needed.”

Ms McFadden pointed out that Mullingar Hospital had oncology as one of its specialities.

According to the HSE the move is due to a drop in new patients in Mullingar to 26 in 2006 and stressed that there were no concerns regarding the service.