Watchdog to probe breast care unit over waiting times

THE Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is to carry out another assessment of breast cancer services at Cork University Hospital (CUH) amid concerns the hospital’s breast cancer unit is struggling to meet demands put on it after the transfer of services from the city’s South Infirmary Victoria Hospital.

A recent HIQA study shows waiting times for cancer patients has increased significantly since the service was moved. The authority also identified governance and management issues since the transfer.

Labour Party spokeswoman on disability and equality issues, Kathleen Lynch, was among a group of women who met CUH management yesterday to discuss the HIQA report and to seek reassurances that the service would improve.

Speaking ahead of the meeting Kathleen Lynch said: “Before the reconfiguration of breast cancer services from the South Infirmary Victoria Hospital (SIVUH) to the CUH took place, myself and other campaigners put on the record, our serious misgivings about how it would impact on the delivery of cancer services at local level. Unfortunately, as we see in this HIQA report, our concerns were well founded.

“We were particularly concerned that any tampering with the service could result in a disimprovement in patient care, and it seems that this is what has happened.”

However, after the meeting Ms Lynch said she had been reassured that the women of Munster could look forward to a first-class service based at CUH.

“The old service was better in terms of patients being seen... 98% of urgent cases being seen within 10 days of receipt of referral. By July of this year the figure has fallen to 90%.

“However, the service provided at the unit is first-rate and we have been given assurances that waiting times will improve.”

According to Ms Lynch, HIQA will carry out a further service study in March.

A spokeswoman for the HSE said: “The hospital clarified for today’s delegation that HIQA are satisfied with the delivery of the Symptomatic Breast Disease Service and any issues in relation to capacity are being addressed.”