Cancer patients face follow-up care costs

Doctors have warned that the HSE’s failure to fund a follow-up care plan for women treated for breast cancer will mean patients bearing the costs.

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) says it will be unable to accept patients under the national cancer care programme (NCCP) without an appropriate contract and resource transfer.

“The HSE is failing to fund or invest in cancer care services in general practice, thereby passing all costs onto patients including medical card patients,” said the IMO’s GP committee chairman, Dr Ray Walley.