Cancer centres to provide multiple tests in one place on the same day

THE country’s eight new cancer centres will provide patients with multiple examinations in one day, cutting out the current practice of several return visits to hospital.

That’s according to Professor Tom Keane, interim director of the National Cancer Control Programme, who said he was hoping to schedule multiple appointments on one day and, after surgery, encourage follow-up examinations of patients by their local GPs.

He told a HSE (South) meeting yesterday that he was discussing bringing in a training programme for GPs, so they can become more actively involved in the treatment of cancer patients.