HSE denies cancer tsar’s accusations

THE Health Service Executive is denying that the country’s cancer tsar, Tom Keane, encountered serious problems in trying to kick-start the country’s reformed cancer programme and that the HSE tried to limit its success.

An explosive email sent to the Department of Health early last year revealed that the head of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), Professor Keane, threatened to go to Health Minister Mary Harney to complain about the HSE’s failure to agree responsibilities and resourcing for the programme.

In the email, seen by irishhealth.com, Prof Keane expressed fears that the HSE was trying to “strangle the NCCP at birth” by not giving commitments to the National Hospitals Office (NHO) on resourcing.