Cancer services unit put on hold

PLANS for a cancer services unit have been put on hold at one of eight hospitals central to the successful delivery of the National Cancer Strategy.

Despite being earmarked by the Government as a future centre of excellence under its plan to concentrate cancer care in eight specialist centres, Waterford Regional Hospital will not get a new cancer unit before at least 2009.

This is despite repeated promises by the Health Service Executive (HSE) that building work on the €15 million unit would begin this year.