Radiation treatment staffing fears at hospital

CANCER patients at a Dublin hospital could face long delays for radiation treatment because almost a third of the treatment staff may not have their contracts renewed when they end in June.

The chair of trade union SIPTU’s radiographers and radiation therapists branch said 26 radiation therapists are unclear of their future when their contracts finish.

“This represents a third of the total staff currently employed within the radiation therapy department of the hospital,” Michele Monahan said. “SIPTU has sought assurances from management within the hospital that these vital frontline posts will not be subject to the rigours of the moratorium on recruitment within the public service, but local management are unclear as to what will happen in only four weeks’ time.