John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)

The issue of cancer care services for the north west will not go away. The HSE has established what it calls a transition team to plan for the removal of cancer care services from Sligo General Hospital, while at the same time oncology professionals in the hospital are refusing to co-operate with the transition proposals. This is a matter of serious concern to the people of the north west and one to which the Minister must give immediate attention.

To anybody who has taken even a most cursory interest in the strategy to transfer cancer services out of Sligo General Hospital, the current position will not come as a surprise. The original decision to propose the transfer of cancer care from Sligo Hospital was wrong. It ranks among the worst decisions taken by the Fianna Fáil-led Government and its Minister for Health and Children whose legacy as a public representative it will tarnish.

The strategy being implemented means there will be no comprehensive cancer care service north of a line extending from Galway to Dublin. Equity of access cannot be delivered by ignoring geography. It is unacceptable to the people of the region that the present strategy ignores the breast cancer care needs of the population north of this line.

The case for transferring cancer care services from hospitals with a small workload does not apply to Sligo, as the facts show. It is validated, for instance, by the current volume of breast cancer cases treated at the hospital. Sligo General Hospital expects to report more than 110 new breast cancer cases and more than 90 breast cancer surgical procedures in 2009. The hospital has a dedicated clinical team with top class breast cancer expertise. The results prove the hospital is already achieving outcomes to match world class standards. The argument for closing down cancer care centres with a small caseload clearly does not apply to Sligo Hospital. This is an important issue for Sligo and a huge protest is planned in the town tomorrow.

Since the strategy was first announced, I have called on the Minister to provide specific scientific references to justify the transfer of cancer care services from Sligo. On each occasion I have issued this call, she has referred me to a list of articles on the Internet. This is not acceptable. The Minister cannot provide precise scientific references to justify the removal of cancer care services from Sligo Hospital because such references do not exist.

The people of the region are completely opposed to the proposed transfer. Several weeks ago I personally delivered, on behalf of the team doing effective work on the issue, a petition of 50,000 signatures to Government Buildings, providing clear evidence of the outrage felt by people in the region. Since the announcement of the strategy to consolidate cancer care services, I have argued the case for the retention and development of cancer care services at Sligo General Hospital.

The oncology medical personnel are still fully committed to keeping breast cancer services in Sligo. They have also confirmed that they are not, and will not form, part of the transition team. I compliment the medical team at the hospital on its dedication and commitment. This is not a political argument as the medical team has justified the retention of the excellent service it provides. Oncology professionals at Sligo General Hospital are taking practical action to oppose the transfer of cancer care services from the hospital because they believe the development of the present service is the strategy that is in the best interests of patients in the region. Their action has not been initiated lightly, nor is it motivated by professional territorial protection considerations. It is clear to anybody who speaks or listens to the oncology professionals in Sligo that their sole interest is what is in the best interests of the patients. They know an excellent service is being provided in a cost-effective manner by Sligo hospital and that it should be retained. They understand the resources and facilities to ensure patients receive access to the best possible care are already in place in Sligo.

As the Fine Gael TD for the constituency which is impacted most by the proposed transfer of services, I fully support the view that retaining breast cancer services at Sligo hospital is in the best interests of patients and I applaud the oncology professionals on their principled and dedicated commitment and the courageous stance they are taking in not supporting the transition team.

The proposed plan to transfer these services is opposed by the people of this region, as shown in 50,000 signatures delivered to the Taoiseach, by most public representatives and, most important, by the oncology professionals in the hospital and the more than 75 family doctors living in the catchment area of Sligo hospital. I again call on the Government to take decisive action in support of the retention and development of breast cancer services in Sligo hospital.

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