Donegal Action for Cancer Care
“Equal Access for Equal Need”
www.dacc.ie
Meeting with
Dr. Susan O’ Reilly Director National Cancer Control &
Dr. Mary Hynes, Cancer Network Manager West
on Tuesday 10th May 2011
1) Are cancer services at Letterkenny General Hospital secure?
2) What plans are in place to modify or improve cancer services at LGH?
3) There are budget inequalities for Donegal people attending LGH. Shortfalls in budget affect all services in the long term.
Can you Dr. O’ Reilly within your role explain or find out for us why this is the case please?
a) Why is LGH budget less than Sligo’s per Inpatient Discharges?
b) Why are these inequalities allowed to continue?
c) Why are patients availing of services at LGH lives worth less?
(2011) IPD=€4907 at LGH, Sligo 3842 patients less, IDP=€ 6,254 (€1,347 more)
(2010) IDP=€5198 at LGH, Sligo 5081 patients less, IDP= € 7110 (€1,912 more)
(2009) IDP= €4961 at LGH, Sligo 4961 patients less, IDP =€ 6,645 (€1,684 more)
4) North West Breast Centre LGH
- A second Breast Surgeon is needed for LGH.
- Difficulties exist for Donegal patients with the Breast Surgeon’s operating list at UHG, what can be done about this?
- Has additional funding been made available to address the number of women who attend this unit?
- What impact is the funding shortfall having on the Breast Unit?
- Will these shortfalls impact on HIQA guidelines being met?
- Are their plans to fund two Breast Units in the area?
- The North West Breast Unit has been innovative in what they are doing,( Family History) are there opportunities for the unit to be involved in developing other valuable research?
5) Theatre lists for Donegal patients at Galway
Galway University Hospital is having bother treating it’s own patients.
a) What will be done for Donegal patients attending LGH who are having difficulty getting their appointments, surgery or treatments in Galway at present?
6) Cross Border Funding for Acute Hospital Services.
As part of this LGH was to get a 2nd full time Urologist. This post was to be advertised last summer and didn’t happen because of the recruitment embargo. LGH cannot afford to loose one consultant or 2 junior doctors.
a) Has this now been resolved?
b) Did LGH have to loose a consultant or two junior doctors in order to meet the restrictions under the RE?
c) When will the post be advertised?
7) Prostate Services at LGH
A considerable number of Donegal men travel to Galway every week to the rapid access clinic.
a) What plans are in place to develop this service at LGH?
8) Proposed Radiotherapy at Altnagelvin
We have serious concerns regarding this development.
Among these concerns are
- That LGH is in danger of being downgraded,
- That the patient pathways will not meet the needs of Donegal patients,
- That LGH ‘s relationship with St Lukes & key consultants will be lost,
- That the agreed numbers of Donegal patients being financed needs to be reviewed,
- That this is a political decision and not a medical one.
a) Medical protocols:
What arrangements are in place for working relationships between:
- Letterkenny General Hospital & Altnagelvin,
- The HSE & NHS,
- All of the above with Breast Check?
b) How will the Multidisciplinary Team work?
c) How will Cross Border posts work?
How many Oncologists will be employed?
Will patients have their consultations at LGH or will everything be at Altnagelvin?
d) What structures are in place to ensure accountability?
e) What access will there be for Donegal patients?
What arrangement will there be for in patient beds?
What arrangements will be in place for accommodation/ lodge?
What arrangements will be in place for transport?
f) Where will Breast Check patients needing Radiotherapy be treated?
9) Additional resources are required to match status of a satellite unit/ Centre of Excellence.
What plans are in place to address this deficit?
10) Nuclear Medicine
Are there any developments in LGH’s request for funding for an Isotopes Machine?
11) Breast Check-
- Concern that Breast Check did not take into consideration the already recognised unique geographical circumstances prevailing in Donegal, which should have resulted in Breast Check referrals being made to Letterkenny General Hospital rather than to Breast Check in Galway. Women may have to travel up to 5 hours each way on a number of different occasions.
12) NOWDOC Service
A gap exists in this service in the morning with patients unable to access a GP.
a) We are asking that the difficulties for cancer patients be recognised and that either extend the hours of the NOWDOC Service or fund GP’s to open earlier.
13) GP Charges to Medical Card Holders
New announced charges have been introduced by some GP Practices to Medical Card patients for routine blood tests. We have concerns that this will have an impact on cancer patients. Is this practice going to be allowed to continue?
Names of DACC delegates attending meeting
We in DACC
would like to extend a sincere thank you to
Dr. O’ Reilly & Dr. Hynes
for taking time out from your busy schedule to meet with us today.
Go Raith Maith Agat!
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