Cancer consultant wants centre saved
Mr Finbarr Lennon, who was medical advisor for the NEHB, wrote to Drogheda Labour councillor Ged Nash on March 18th saying that staff at the unit ?are all upset at the proposed closure of the unit and its move to Dublin?.While we as professionals understand and acknowledge the principle of concentrating specialist services on fewer sites, we believe the service this unit has delivered in recent years is excellent.It is therefore unfortunate and sad that a specialist unit assembled and built up five years ago must now go.?
He also pointed out that since the unit was set up for the delivery of regional symptomatic breast services in 2005, 2,500 patients had been seen and 110 new breast cancers diagnosed and treated.
The Dochas centre was set up to facilitate the introduction of ?one stop breast clinics? offering triple assessment in a multidisciplinary setting.
It comprised out-patient accommodation, radiology facilities including mammography suites, a pathology laboratory, and a prosthesis and counselling room.
A spokesperson for the HSE Dublin and North East stressed that the palliative care currently being offered by the Dochas centre would remain.
However, the assessment of breast cancer cases and surgery was being transferred to Beaumont. Aftercare and oncology services would continue at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
