CANCER group
Co-operating for Cancer Care NorthWest (CCC(NW) said
it is confident that both Ministers for Health,
North and South support the proposed cross border
radiation unit for the North West
“Members of CCC(NW) have been lobbying for radiation
services to be sited in the North West Region for
over five years. As a region, the North West is
co-dependent on populations on either side of the
border to provide the ‘critical mass’ to safely
provide a radiation service,” said group
spokesperson, Noelle Duddy.
“CCC(NW) remains in regular contact with both
Departments of Health regarding progress to finalise
the business case for the radiation unit to be built
at Altnagelvin Hospital. We remain confident that
both Ministers support this project.”
In his recent correspondence with CCCNW on October
5, Minister McGimpsey writes: “I can assure you my
Department is working hard against a tight timescale
to ensure that the proposed satellite radiotherapy
centre is appropriate in terms of capacity, high
quality and value for money for the taxpayer. It is
important when planning a public investment of this
scale that we get it right ... I would like to
reassure you, of my ongoing commitment to improving
the experience of all patients, including those
suffering from cancer.”
Ms Duddy added: “Concerns have been raised in some
quarters in Donegal that Donegal patients may be
treated as “spare capacity” in the proposed
radiation unit. CCC(NW) is absolutely confident that
all cancer patients requiring radiotherapy in the
proposed unit will receive their treatment as they
require it.
"Indeed, one of the first things Minister McGimpsey
reassured us of when we first met him in January
2008 was that all cancer patients, regardless of
which side of the border they lived on would receive
the same high quality and standard of treatment -
all patients would have equal access to treatment
according to their need.
“CCC(NW) remains optimistic that the proposed cross
border radiation unit for the North West will be
built. North-South cooperation for this radiation
unit is a win-win situation for everyone: for cancer
patients; for healthcare professionals; for research
and development: for politicians and for the
taxpayer on both sides of the border." |
