Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I must be honest, in that what I am going to say will probably not satisfy them, but I will convey their concerns when they finish their contributions.

I welcome the opportunity to speak about the services at Letterkenny University Hospital. The hospital provides medical oncology services to patients and has two consultant medical oncologist posts.

One of these posts is currently vacant and, as has been said, it had been filled by a locum pending the appointment of a permanent medical oncologist but, unfortunately, as the Deputies also indicated, this locum recently resigned. A new locum consultant medical oncologist is due to take up post on 6 March and, in the interim, some alternative locum arrangements have been put in place. All existing patients continue to receive their chemotherapy services in Letterkenny University Hospital. All patients newly referred to the oncology clinic at Letterkenny University Hospital from 1 December 2016 are triaged by the lead medical oncologist before being seen at the most appropriate location for treatment, principally in Galway University Hospital. It is expected that the full service at Letterkenny University Hospital will resume when the new locum consultant starts on 6 March.

The Minister acknowledges the concerns of patients and the inconvenience associated with having to travel for chemotherapy treatment. However, patients continue to receive quality treatment and the HSE has assured him that every effort is being made to resume normal service at Letterkenny University Hospital at the earliest possible date. In relation to services more generally at Letterkenny University Hospital, my colleague, the Minister for Health, is aware of the need to provide services that are accessible to patients in Donegal and to minimise patient travel time where possible. There has been significant capital investment in Letterkenny Hospital in recent years. I can advise the House that most of the works required to repair the flood damage sustained by the hospital in August 2013 are now complete. In addition, a significant number of other capital projects are operational. They include the medical academy, blood science laboratory, replacement of sterilisation equipment, expansion of the recovery unit, provision of additional space for expansion of the dialysis unit and renovations to provide accommodation for a pharmacy, respiratory laboratory, cardiac investigations facility, medical records and mental health. The Minister opened the new state-of-the-art blood science laboratory, the new medical academy and the clinical skills laboratory when he visited the hospital just before Christmas.

Letterkenny also benefits from the development of a number of cross-Border initiatives in conjunction with Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, whereby patients can access necessary services in Derry. The cross-Border cardiology service provides emergency primary PCI services for the treatment of patients from County Donegal with a diagnosed heart attack at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. From May to 20 December 2016, some 23 patients from County Donegal received treatment under the scheme. In addition, the north west cancer centre at Altnagelvin Hospital opened in November last year and will provide access to radiotherapy services to people in the north west, including patients from the Republic. As of 6 January 2017, six patients from the Republic have commenced their care pathways for this facility.

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