Operating theatres empty due to staffing issues, says leading oncologist

Some 21 cancer doctors and researchers wrote to Taoiseach Simon Harris to publicly demand proper funding of cancer services.

Operating theatres are being left empty and unused due to staffing issues, a leading oncologist has warned.

Michael McCarthy, the chair of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) medical oncology clinical leads group, warned that funding shortfalls are leading to the rolling closures of operating theatres, meaning that surgeons who operate on cancers often cannot do so.