Former St Lukes patients to be reunited in Ardara

 Mar 19, 6:21 am Courtesy of Ocean FM

Recovering cancer patients from across the North West are set to be reunited in Ardara, at a special event due to be held this month.
The reunion, which is being held in the Nesbitt Arms on Friday 28 March, will see patients who received care at St Luke's Hospital in Dublin have the chance to meet up again.

A similar event was held in Dublin last year, and it was since decided to should be an annual occurence.

Ballyshannon native Joe Guilfoyle, who is also chair of the nationwide action committee for the retention
of St. Luke's Hospital is organising the event.

Ambulance drivers to strike in April Mar 11, 1:35 pm
Courtesy of Highland Radio news

SIPTU's Donegal Branch Secretary says they will do everything in their power to ensure patients aren't badly affected by a strike which looks set to take place by Ambulance crews all over the country.

SIPTU has served notice on the HSE over contracts with private ambulance operators.

The union says it goes against an agreement between Siptu and the HSE.

If the dispute goes ahead, twelve hundred personnel nationwide will go on strike from April 7th.

Planning clearance for new psychiatric unit

Mar 06, 1:31 pm Courtesy of Highland Radio News
The Health Service Executive has today announced that planning permission has been approved for a new Acute Psychiatric Unit at Letterkenny General Hospital.

The 7 million euro facility is currently at the final stages of design, with construction due to begin in late summer.

Michael McCole, Administrator of Donegal Mental Health Services, says that the new state-of-the-art facility will include intensive care beds, psychiatry facilities for the elderly and a mother and baby unit.

There will be a sharp focus on recreational, rehabilitation and recovery activities.
 

No repeat of cancer scandal, Harney vows

Wednesday, 5 March 2008 18:02 Courtesy of RTE News on line

The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has given an undertaking that serious weaknesses identified in reports into breast cancer services in Portlaoise will not recur.Speaking on RTÉ Radio's News At One, Ms Harney again apologised to the nine women who were misdiagnosed at the Midland Regional Hospital and who were later found to have cancer.

Ms Harney said she wanted to see what lessons could be learned and how those lessons could be put into effect.

She said she was confident the board of the HSE would put things right.The head of the HSE, Professor Brendan Drumm, has expressed his regret to patients affected and has apologised for what happened.

The Opposition has criticised the HSE in the wake of the breast cancer reports.Labour Party Health Spokesperson Jan O'Sullivan said the reports exposed a 'total shambles' in relation to management of the HSE. Fine Gael's Health Spokesman Dr James Reilly said the reports highlighted that the HSE was dysfunctional.

Three critical reports

The main report into breast cancer misdiagnosis at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise has said that one of the nine patients whose cancer was missed was found to have an abnormality, suggestive of malignancy, two years and nine months earlier.The report by consultant radiologist Dr Ann O' Doherty also found that surgery had been recommended for some patients who were healthy.It said safety, quality and standard of the breast imaging service at the hospital resulted in a significant and avoidable delay in the diagnosis of cancer.Dr O' Doherty said that the quality of mammograms was patchy, mainly for technical reasons, which made them hard to read. It blames this mainly on the processing system for images.Ten months before the controversy erupted, medical staff complained to hospital management about problems with the equipment and warned of the danger of mistakes.The Doherty and Fitzgerald reports dealt with two aspects of the affair - events leading up to the suspension of breast services and the HSE's management of the crisis.The Fitzgerald report said there was a fundamental weakness in how the HSE managed this affair. It said this resulted in unnecessary anxiety for many women and should never have happened.The Doherty report pointed to a fragmented cancer service across three sites in the Midlands and said there was no consultant radiologist in Portlaoise with a special interest in breast radiology.Last night it emerged that consultant radiologist Dr Visa Moodley has been asked by the HSE to return to work.Dr Moodley was put on leave last August after breast cancer services were suspended and nine women who had been given the all clear were later found to have breast cancer.Late last year, Dr Moodley said she had always acted in the best interests of patients and claimed she was placed on leave for being overly cautious and requesting too many tests.

New campaign for cervical cancer screening programme

Mar 04, 12:23 pm Courtesy of Highland Radio news
Ireland has one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in the EU, with 2,900 women living with the often fatal disease
A renewed campaign for a screening programme has been launched by the family planning group Marie Stopes Reproductive Choices, who say despite commitments to roll out a programme by 2007, very little has been done.
The group's Programme Director Gabrielle Malone says the North West has an annual average of nine cervical cancer cases, two thirds of which prove fatal.
 

Manager says LK General extension will curb MRSA

 Feb 27, 8:23 am Courtesy of HighlandRadio News
 

The Manager of Letterkenny General Hospital says the new A&E unit at the hospital which has received planning permission and final HSE approval this week will provide the people of Donegal with the 21st Century facilities they need and deserve.

Sean Murphy also says the new wards will be designed to help minimise MRSA and other hospital infections.

In a statement issued through the HSE last night, the management team and clinical staff at Letterkenny General Hospital say they are delighted to receive planning permission to proceed with the building of a new Emergency Department, with integrated Medical Assessment Unit and three new medical wards on the floors above.

Hospital Manager Sean Murphy says when complete, this facility will provide the residents of Donegal with a purpose-built Emergency Department that will meet 21st Century emergency care standards.

He added that the wards are predominantly single room facilities, which he said will significantly enhance the control of infection within Letterkenny General Hospital.

A meeting of the HSE West Regional Health Forum's hospitals committee in Manorhamilton yesterday was told that tender documents for the 26.6 million euro facility will be issued shortly, and construction should begin in the autumn of this year, with the new department operational by late 2010.

Planning permission granted for LK General extension

 Feb 26, 8:46 am Courtesy of Highland Radio News
Planning permission has been formally granted for an extension to Letterkenny General Hospital to facilitate the planned new A&E unit, as well as a Medical Assessment Unit and two new wards.

The plans were submitted before Christmas, and the Department of Health has set aside funding for the project, which will cost in the region of 11 million euro to complete.

Confirmation of the planning permission comes as the hospitals committee of the HSE West Regional Health Forum meets in Manorhamilton today to discuss capital projects for the region.

The Vice Chair of the forum is Letterkenny Councillor Ciaran Brogan - he says bringing confirmation of planning permission to that meeting is a major step forward.

LGH slightly below average in patient dignity survey Feb 21, 10:19 am Courtesy of Highland Radio News
A new survey of patient's attitudes to how medical professionals respect their privacy and dignity show satisfaction levels slightly below average at Letterkenny General Hospital.

316 patients filled in a questionairre at the Rate My Hospital website run by irishheath.com, with 70% expressing satisfaction with doctors against a national average of 74%. This places the hospital 36th out of 45 hospitals included in the survey.

Nurses at the hospital scored a satisfaction rating of 76 % against a national average of 78%, placing the hospital in 27th place out of 45 hospitals.

INO highlight service cutback fears Feb 15, 1:14 pm

Courtesy of Highland Radio NEWS)
A senior INO official in the North West says she fears cutbacks to save the HSE money will be implemented at Letterkenny General Hospital and other facilities in Donegal.

INO Industrial relations officer Maura Hickey says the national recruitment ban which was lifted at the beginning of the year has been replaced with an even more restrictive regional policy.

She says this is already impacting on patient care, and fears it may get worse rather than better.

According to Ms Hickey, recent cut backs in the North East were part of a break even plan, and she was told at a meeting with the HSE this week that a similar plan exists here.

NW cancer patients should not have to travel for treatment says oncology consultant Jan 30, 5:42 am ( Courtesy of Ocean FM)

A leading oncology consultant has lashed out at recent comments from Professor Tom Keane that cancer patients should not mind travelling a long distance if they know they will be receiving top quality care.

The Director of the Cancer Strategy, Professor Keane has previously said cancer patients in the North West will not mind travelling to the centre of excellence in Galway for treatment as they will receive high quality care there.

This morning on Ocean FM's North West Today programme, Professor John Crown at St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin said he feels it's unfair, that Professor Keane thinks there should be four centres in Dublin and yet patients in the North West are expected to travel hours by road.

He says he feels the location of the centres of excellence may be down to medical politics

Councillor claims new fee could put women off taking smear test

Jan 29, 9:11 am ( Courtesy of Highland Radio) 

A Donegal County Councillor says some women may not put themselves forward for a cervical cancer smear test following the introduction of a 60-euro fee.

Research carried out in June 2006 showed that 20% of Irish women had never had a smear test due to a number of factors, including a lack of knowledge, fear and embarrassment.

Councillor Thomas Pringle says the 60-euro levy introduced could put even more woman off.

He says the fee is part of the HSE's efforts to make money from sick people.

Cllr Liam Blaney elected to HSE West Regional Health Forum Jan 29, 9:09 am ( Courtesy of Highland Radio news)

Milford Councillor Liam Blaney is to join the HSE West Regional Health Forum.

Cllr Blaney was chosen to replace Cllr Sean Mc Eniff, who resigned last month in protest at the decision not to develop a cancer treatment centre in Sligo.

Cllr Blaney was a member of the former North Western Health Board, and says that while the new forum does not have the same power as the previous boards, the HSE must ensure that issues raised by the members are taken seriously
 

Fresh Calls for the Retention of Cancer Care in the North West

Jan 27, 4:14 am ( Courtesy of Ocean FM)

"The people of Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal should have their own cancer treatment hospital", that's according to one of the country's leading cancer specialists.

Professor John Crown's comments were in support of Former EU Commissioner Ray McSharry, who made an emotional plea for the retention of Cancer Care in the North West, following the death of his wife Elaine from Cancer.

Professor Crown said, having four centres of excellence in Dublin makes no sense. He is of the opinion that the only reason why there is going to be four centres in Dublin is "because very powerful doctors from those four centres have great influence with the minister", he continued, "it’s being implemented and influenced by both medical, local and regional politics".

The Consultant Oncologist criticised the plan being implemented by Professor Tom Keane, Director of the National Cancer Programme, stating that "this system is based on the Canadian system, but we don't have the Canadian system".

Professor Crown said it would make great sense where they have 200,000 people in the old North Western Health Board area to have one cancer centre in Sligo.

Donegal Vice Chair of health forum in support of Harney

Jan 23, 1:44 pm( Courtesy of Highland Radio News)

Vice Chair of the West Regional Health Forum Cllr Ciaran Brogan has slammed yesterdays vote of no confidence in the Health Minister's ability to 'deliver reliable and safe public services'.
The motion was passed at the forums monthly meeting by a majority of 15 to 11 votes, despite some strong opposition.
It's one of four bodies set up two years ago to give local councils a say in HSE matters.
Councillor Ciaran Brogan says the motion will have no effect on the Health Minister Mary Harney's position

New bone density scanner unveiled at Letterkenny General

Jan 23, 1:39 pm (Courtesy of Highland Radio News))

A new Dexa scanner has been unveiled at Letterkenny General Hospital.

The scanner, which measures bone density, was bought from the proceeds of last year's performances of Riverdance in Letterkenny.

Promoter Pat Nora Gallagher and Riverdance producer Moya Doherty officially launched the scanner at a function last evening.

The hospital's Deputy General Manager Paddy Rooney says its an important machine which enhances the service the hospital can offer.

HSE awards LK General Hospital bonus for efficiency Jan 14, 1:12 pm

( Courtesy of Highland Radio news)

The HSE has awarded Letterkenny General Hospital a bonus of two hundred and twenty eight thousand euro in its budget for 2008 however Sligo General has seen its budget slashed by over 700 thousand euro

It's part of the 'Casemix' system which rewards some hospitals and penalises others based on their efficiency levels.

Steve Mc Mahon of the Irish Patients Association says it's a crude way of measuring a hospital's performance.

Letterkenny General's short stay ward eases overcrowding - Irish Nurses Organisation

Jan 09, 8:42 am ( Courtesy of Highland Radio news)

The success of the short stay ward, which opened at Letterkenny General Hospital last March has been highlighted by figures published today by the INO.

A comparison of the numbers of patients on trolleys over the past three years has shown a dramatic drop in Letterkenny.
 

98 new cases of prostate cancer in Donegal in 2005

Jan 02, 1:43 pm
There were ninety eight new cases of prostate cancer in Donegal in 2005.

That's according to the latest figures released by the Irish Cancer Society which show that there are approximately 1,370 new cases of prostate cancer in Ireland every year.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in Irish men, after skin cancer.

Sonia Bowen in a prostate cancer information nurse with the Irish Cancer Society.

She's urging men throughout Donegal to go straight to their GP is they have any concerns. (Courtesy of Highland Radio News)

LKG patients wait up to 3 years to see consultant Dec 31, 11:41 am

( Courtesy of Highland Radio News)
Patients can wait for up to three years to see a consultant in Letterkenny General Hospital as an outpatient.
 

Hospital's in the West have the longest waiting times in the country with patients at Mayo General Hospital being forced to wait up to eight years for an appointment.

The figures, which were provided under the Freedom of Information Act shows that hospitals in the HSE West region, which takes in Donegal, have some of the longest waiting times in the country.

Outpatients at University College Hospital in Galway and the Merlin Park Regional hospital have been waiting to see a consultant since 2000.

According to the figures published in today's Irish Times, The patients waiting to be seen for eight years in Mayo are waiting to see specialists in dermatology and urology, while the patients waiting for seven years in Galway are waiting to see a neurologist.

Elsewhere in the country people face waits of two to three years for appointments at Letterkenny General Hospital and in hospitals in, Limerick, Sligo, Cork and even at Beaumont hospital in Dublin.

More than 139 thousand people were on hospital waiting lists at 24 hospitals either last year or earlier this year.

Not all hospitals provided data, and it's believed that the true outpatient waiting lists are significantly higher than the figures published today.
 

The interim director of the National Cancer Strategy has said he excepts the need for a satellite cancer centre in Letterkenny but added that the best solution would have been a cross border centre in Derry.

Professor Tom Keane was addressing the Oireachtas Health Committee and said he was surprised that the debate on national cancer centres has been focused on the issue of patient travel.

Professor Tom Keane told the Oireachtas Health Committee that there is a clear understanding that care is better where expertise is concentrated and added that the Irish Cancer Society already provided some supports to patients who had to travel for cancer services.

Professor Keane added that the existing transport network might be something that he could facilitate and resource.

Eight cancer care centres are planned in the National Cancer Strategy with a satellite centre in Letterkenny connected to Galway.

Under the plan initial diagnostics and surgical management will take place at the cancer centres.

Professor Keane said that he accepts that an exception had been made for Letterkenny adding that the best solution would have been a cross border centre in Derry.

He described the National Cancer Strategy as an opportunity for oncology professionals to demonstrate leadership, adding that he sensed that there is a willingness to change.

He went on to describe the current cancer care system as being 'not organised'. ( Courtesy of Highland Radio News 18th Dec at 17.30pm

NW patients could wait over two years for Breast Check

Donegal Action for Cancer Care says it is extremely disappointed with news that women in the North West will have to wait for more than two years before they can avail of free Breastcheck.

Yesterday the Minister for Health Mary Harney announced that Breast Check’s free screening service won't be fully rolled out for another 27 months.

Paddy Hume is a spokesperson for DACC.

He says the group were assured by the government that breast check would be implemented in Donegal by last September.

 18th December 07 ( Coutesy of Highland Radio) 

Donegal patients must go to Dublin for chemotherapy Dec 13, 8:19 am (Courtesy of Highland Radio News)

It's emerged that a number of patients who were due to begin chemotherapy at Letterkenny General Hospital last week have been forced to begin their treatment in Dublin due to the absence of a sick staff member.

The HSE has confirmed that the disruption has been ongoing since last week and the situation is expected to be resolved sometime next week.

In the meantime however because of the absence of the staff member, cancer patients who were due to begin chemotherapy at Letterkenny General have had to receive their initial doses in a hospital in Dublin.

Councillor Dessie Larkin says the situation muct be resolved without delay.

Funding sought for Northwest cancer research facility Dec 10, 2:23 pm ( Courtesy of Highland Radio news)

The North West Regional Cross Border Group will tomorrow hear proposals for the establishment of major 40 million euro Cancer Research Facility in this region.

Its been claimed that the proposed Institute for Advanced Medical Imaging would have a massive impact on the economic and health prospects for the North West.

The North West Regional Cross Border Group is being asked to provide 75% of the funding with the British and Irish governments to make up the balance.

HSE urged to encourage Donegal Cancer patients to use Belfast Nov 30, 11:17 am
(Courtesy of Highland Radio news)

The HSE has been urged to do more to encourage Donegal people to avail of cancer treatment services in Belfast as only six patients have so far been referred there for treatment.

Senator Cecilia Keaveney made the comments following a meeting with Minister for Health Mary Harney during which they discussed the provision of cancer care in the North West.

Under the agreement reached between North and South Health Ministers it was decided that 50 patients could be referred to Belfast in an attempt to lessen the travel time for Donegal patients.

Senator Keaveney can't understand why more aren't availing of the option.

     DACC say LGH should be a centre of excellence Nov 14, 1:17 pm

(Courtesy of Highland Radio)
The campaign group Donegal Action for Cancer Care has told Health Minister Mary Harney that Letterkenny General Hospital should be provided with radiotherapy services, with a view towards breaking the link with University College Hospital, Galway and being designated as a centre of escellence in its own right.

Last week, Ms Harney told the Dail that more capacity will be needed in the North, and she can envisage the Northern authprities developing a unit at Altnagelvin, with support from the Irish government to serve the entire North West on a cross border basis.

However, DACC spokesman Paddy Hume says they want to see Letterkenny as the location.
 

Mc Daid: private sector may hold answer to NW radiotherapy Nov 14, 1:14 pm

( Courtesy of Highland Radio)
Donegal North East Deputy Dr James Mc Daid says the plan to construct a private hospital on the grounds of the old Unifi site in Letterkenny could be the key to providing radiotherapy services in the North West.

Last week, Health Minister Harney told the Dail that more capacity will be needed in the North.

She envisages the Northern authorities developing a unit at Altnagelvin, with support from the Irish government to serve the entire North West on a cross border basis.

However, Dr Mc Daid believes rather than spending money in new buildings in either Derry or Letterkenny, the option of buying the service from the private hospital should be considered as a viable alternative.

He doesn't believe patients would object.

 

HSE gives green light to Letterkenny General cancer services Nov 10, 12:21 pm
There's been a widespread welcome for Letterkenny General Hospital inclusion on the list of 20 hospitals which the HSE says offers an excellent standard of care.

Sligo General Hospital is also on the list, but it is one of the 11 hospitals from which services will be withdrawn over the next two years.

The Assistant National Director of the HSE Dr Mary Hynes has again confirmed that when the eight centres of excellence are up and running, Letterkenny General will be the exception because of its link-up with University College Hospital in Galway.

(Courtesy of Highland Radio)

Sligo General cancer care services hang in the balance after HSE letter Nov 07, 5:25 am
The Fine Gael Spokesperson for Health has revealed that a letter has been sent from the HSE to some hospitals in the country, including Sligo General Hospital, advising staff to prepare for the winding down of cancer care services there.

Speaking this morning on Ocean FM, Fine Gael Deputy James Reilly said having spoke to members of staff at Sligo General Hospital yesterday during his visit to the North West, he said the hospital has received a letter from the HSE informing them that primary cancer care services will be phased out at the hospital.

Yesterday, CEO of the HSE Professor Brendan Drumm provided the people of the North West with the good news that the HSE will re-access the situation at Sligo General Hospital and then decide whether or not to retain cancer care services there.

Deputy James Reilly says after listening to Professor Brendan Drumm's announcment yesterday and then reading the letter which the HSE sent to Sligo General, one must question the credibility of the HSE.
(Courtesy of Ocean FM)

Mixed messages on Derry radiotherapy unit Nov 09, 10:30 am
( Courtesy of Highland Radio)

The Minister for Health and the head of HSE would appear to be at odds over the likely hood of a radiotherapy centre being established in Derry to service cancer patients in the Northwest.

In Dail Mary Harney gave a clear commitment to supporting a radiation unit in Derry stating that northern health authorities felt it was required and that the Irish government would back it.

However according to Donegal Deputy Dinny McGinley the HSE chief Brendan Drumm has said the north doesn't require a second centre and to provide one for cross border use would be seriously difficult.

 

Lives are being lost - McDaid

interview on the Shaun Doherty Show, Highland Radio Thursday 8yh Nov. ( Courtesy of Highland Radio)

Donegal North East TD Dr James McDaid speaking on the Shaun Doherty Show, says lives are being lost because a vaccine which can prevent cervical cancer developing in women is not being made available here as part of a national innoculation programme.

More than 180 Irish women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, resulting in between 70- 75 deaths annually.

Cervical cancer is the second largest killer of women in Europe, after breast cancer.

Dr McDaid says the vaccine, which costs 600 euros for a course of three injections has been available since 2006, is used in every European country except Ireland and the Netherlands.

In Greece, it is compulsory for all girls aged 12 to receive the vaccine.

"I raised the issued during the Dail debate on cancer services on Wednesday, because I felt everyone was talking about radiography but this was something that needed to be put forward as well.

"The vaccine is available, but, unfortunately at a price, 3 injections for 600 euro. We've had all the safety studies, the cost benefit analysis, etc, and I think this needs to be brought in now.

"Cervical cancer is a disease which affects women of child-bearing age, we're talking about women in the prime of their life, women with families. And this is the only substance that is available that we know actually prevents cervical cancer occuring."

The vaccine is most effective when given to women before they become sexually active, which is why it is normally given to girls at the age of twelve. However, it can also benefit older women and should be made more accessible to them as well as is done in most other European countries, Dr McDaid believes.

"There are 30,000 twelve-year old girls in Ireland. There are also 30,000 13 year-old girls. So every year we delay introducing this innoculation means another 30,000 women who have not been protected," he concluded.

A caller to the Shaun Doherty show on Highland radio, who has raised the issue before said: "Since I first spoke to you a year ago, around 70 women will have died. Bringing this vaccination in won't help them, but it will help their daughters."