Mixed messages on cancer care in Donegal have to be addressed; it has been said this week, after the consortium leader of the private Wyndale Clinic made a comment in relation to cancer care here.
Sinn Féin Councillor Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has spoke out this week about Pat Harvey’s comment, “best international research”, alleging “it suggests that radiation treatment could after all be safely delivered to the population of Donegal despite the Government’s insistence that they cannot deliver these services to Letterkenny General Hospital.
“This insistence is on the grounds that the population that our public hospital serves does not have the required critical mass of 500,000 as reiterated in their National Cancer Control Strategy.”
Cllr Mac Lochlainn has called on Junior Minister Pat the Cope Gallagher and the government to clarify matters following the Minister’s decision to closely associate himself with the Wyndale Clinic in Letterkenny by turning the sod at the launch event and the subsequent public comments on cancer services by Pat Harvey who is now fronting the private clinic.
“Pat Harvey’s comments have caused serious confusion on a matter of immense public importance in Donegal, an issue that brought 15,000 people onto the streets of Letterkenny in 2006,” Cllr Mac Lochlainn said.
“These mixed messages on cancer care have to be addressed and I am calling on Minister Pat the Cope Gallagher to immediately clarify who is correct, the extensive team of Irish specialist professors and doctors who have compiled and endorsed the National Cancer Control Strategy, which recommends a critical mass of 500,000 to safely operate radiation services in a given region, or Pat Harvey and his private investors,” he continued.
Cllr Mac Lochlainn went on to question whether Minister Gallagher will support the HSE buying radiation services from this private clinic, contradicting the Government’s long held position.
“I trust that Minister Pat the Cope Gallagher will stand by the public health system on this island and focus on maintaining and enhancing cancer services at Letterkenny General Hospital.
“Cancer campaigners in Donegal have fought for increased capacity and additional resources within the public health system not for opportunistic private investors to make money at their expense,” he concluded.