By Dermot Keys
dermot@letterkennypost.com
Donegal Action Cancer Care (DACC) has questioned the Government’s commitment to providing cancer services in Donegal, following the announcement of a new satellite radiotherapy centre in Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.
The announcement was made by Minister for Health, Mary Harney, who said it would open the way for Donegal patients to travel across the border and relieve the need to travel long distances for treatment.
Discussions between Ministers on both sides of the border have taken place to fully realise the potential of the announcement.
“There are clear advantages in further co-operation to enhance services for patients, especially those living in border areas,” Minister Harney said.
But the DACC has asked where the Government is abdicating its responsibility to provide Donegal with a dedicated cancer care unit of its own.
Pointing to the fact that Donegal has the highest incidence of cancer in the North West with 874 new cases, the organisation asked why Donegal people must travel across the border for treatment.
One complaint was that cross-border co-operation is always a one-way process, with Donegal people constantly having to travel across the border.
It is unclear what arrangements will be in place and whether Donegal patients will be given the same priority as patients from the six counties. The DACC have also expressed concerns in relation to the retention of existing services in Letterkenny General Hospital and have questioned whether any upgrade in services will be considered for the future. The Altnagelvin unit is not expected to be in operation until 2015, but the announcement was welcomed as “a step in the right direction” by Donegal North East TD, Dr James McDaid. He said he was delighted that Donegal patients would not have to travel as far to access cancer services. He added that Letterkenny still required a cancer unit of its own and said he would continue to make representations to this effect.
He expressed the hope that the new private hospital in Letterkenny might have a radiation unit on the site.