27-month wait for full roll-out of BreastCheck

WOMEN in parts of the south and west of the country will have to wait another two years before they can avail of the national breast cancer screening service.

Yesterday, Health Minister Mary Harney revealed that it would be another

27 months before BreastCheck’s free screening service is fully rolled out, more than 10 years after it was first established.

Speaking in Cork following the official opening in the South of BreastCheck, at the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Ms Harney said that she hoped in the long term to roll out cervical and colorectal national screening services based on the successful BreastCheck model.

However, women in counties Limerick, Kerry, Waterford, Tipperary, Clare, Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo are still awaiting the arrival of BreastCheck.

Mobile units to support this service have been ordered, but yesterday a spokesperson for BreastCheck said they hadn’t yet “scheduled the move into other counties”.

Cancer Care Alliance spokeswoman Jane Bailey said this was unfair on women who had waited more than 10 years for what was supposed to be a national service.

Ms Bailey also criticised the lack of a national transport policy for cancer patients forced to travel to access treatment.

Ms Harney said the new head of the National Cancer Control Programme, Prof Tom Keane, was in talks with the Irish Cancer Society to see how to address the issue.

Ms Harney will meet Prof Keane today and he will also address a meeting of the Dáil health committee.

Ms Harney also officially opened a second BreastCheck unit at University College Hospital Galway yesterday.