Address to An Tanaiste

CONSULTATION


	DACC is part of this consultation process and as patients and families affected by cancer our lives and the lives of the people of Donegal will be directly affected by decisions made regarding the provision of cancer services in Donegal/NW.


	STEPS 1-5

			Appointment of Permanent Breast Surgeon to LGH
	1

Immediately appoint a permanent Breast Surgeon to Letterkenny General Hospital (LGH).
No decision to appoint a permanent breast surgeon to LGH was made by HSE during meeting with DACC held on Thursday 18 May 2006.
HSE stated that it is unable to make a decision before 1 June. They need to have meetings with both Altnagelvin and Galway to discuss amongst other things, ‘processes of care.’ The HSE is to meet with LGH and Altnagelvin on 9 June 2006. The HSE was to meet with Galway week beginning 22 May 2006, and ‘accelerate options appraisals’.
John O’Brien, National Director, NHO and Pat Doorley, National Director for Population Health, have made a commitment to DACC and LGH that they will make a decision regarding the appointment of a permanent breast surgeon to LGH by the end of June at the very latest.
However, in the absence of an agreed permanent resolution to the issue of ‘breast services’, and in consideration of ethical and safety issues, the decision by the Medical Board of LGH, to begin to phase out breast services from 1 June 2006 still stands.
HSE acknowledged the good work of LGH’s breast team and that it is time for a solution to be found regarding developing the hospital’s breast unit.
HSE stated that it had, “the goodwill to advance this issue rapidly and to reach a satisfactory conclusion.”


	DACC now asks that:


	1


	The HSE officially recognises the legitimacy of LGH’s breast unit and the excellent work it has carried out over this past number of years in at times what were difficult circumstances.


		2

		3

		4


The issue to appoint a permanent breast surgeon to LGH is resolved to the satisfaction of all bodies with a responsibility to provide breast services in LGH and that this decision is made at the very latest before 30 June 2006.

The decision as to which hospital LGH will ‘network’ with will be based on providing women with the best practice and best outcome regarding their treatment.

Following the decision to appoint a permanent breast surgeon to LGH, the necessary finance is made available immediately to provide the breast unit with manpower, infrastructure and other resources to develop the unit to world class standard, e.g. councillors, psychologists, lymphoedema nurses, sentinel node biopsies, etc.

DACC is of the opinion that should the above be enacted upon, the Medical Board in LGH may be able to avert its decision re: 1 June.

It is now a matter of urgency for the women of Donegal to know, that should they develop breast cancer, LGH’s breast unit will be there to treat them. The provision of symptomatic breast services at LGH has remained uncertain for too many years and now is the time to sort out this problem, once and for all.