Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when appointments will be made for women who have been referred by their general practitioners to Dochas Centre, Drogheda and Beaumont Hospital Breast Clinic for consultation; the reason no one has been designated to arrange appointments for many of these women; her views on whether no transfer of services from Dochas Centre to Beaumont Breast Clinic should take place until proper arrangements are in place; her views on the stress which these women are undergoing as they wait, for many weeks in some cases, for appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39829/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Staff at Beaumont Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda have been working closely together over the past two months to ensure that the transition of symptomatic breast cancer services operates safely and without any disruption of service. A final date for the completion of the transition of the service has not been set as all of the radiology resources are not yet in place on the Beaumont site. A management team consisting of staff from both hospitals and the National Cancer Control Programme will continue to oversee transitional arrangements until the completion of the service transfer.

In the interim, GPs in the Drogheda region have been asked to continue to refer to Drogheda where all referrals are prioritised based on clinical need according to existing practice. Patients will be given appointments to be seen in either Beaumont or Drogheda. The surgical teams at Beaumont and Drogheda, working as a combined team, will ensure that all patients are appropriately prioritised and seen in a timely manner.