The Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, last night denied favouring his own constituency after it was announced that a "centre of excellence" for cancer services in the midlands is to be developed at Tullamore hospital. This was despite a decision by the Midland Health Board last April not to centralise. The board had originally voted to spread the specialist cancer services between the three acute hospitals in the Midlands - Mullingar, Portlaoise and Tullamore.
The monthly meeting of the board was held in Longford yesterday to coincide with the official opening by the Minister of a refurbished out-patient department at the county clinic in Longford. "I have kept out of this because of my position of constituency deputy," said the Minister, commenting on the health board's U-turn, but he added that he was committed to developing all three hospitals in the region. "Tullamore will be the lead hospital co-ordinating the work between the three hospitals and will provide the infrastructure which will enhance the service. The whole idea is not to draw services away from the area."
He had instructed his Department to issue the necessary approval to enable a development control plan for Portlaoise Hospital to be drawn up immediately. Accommodation at St Loman's in Mullingar will be upgraded, and Longford is to receive £20,000 to build a conservatory for elderly patients.
Mr Cowen's Fianna Fail constituency colleague, Mr John Moloney, spoke out in April against the centralisation of specialised cancer services at Tullamore. Yesterday he said he had done so because he wanted to secure the future of all three hospitals. "While supporting my own hospital in Portlaoise, I want to assure people in Laois and throughout the four counties that the Hollywood report is the best way of guaranteeing cancer services for the midlands."
Mr Moloney dismissed speculation that the Minister was favouring his own home town. "People have put it across that because Brian Cowen is from Tullamore he has brought pressure to bear on the situation. It is very important to bear in mind that the cancer forum was adopted by the previous government."
The National Cancer Forum, however, did not approve of fragmenting the specialised services. The chairman of the forum, Prof Fennelly, met a deputation from the health board and stressed that a fragmented service was unworkable. He advised members to decide on one centre for the specialised haematology services or arrange for the services to be provided outside the region.
Yesterday in Longford the health board voted unanimously to rescind the motion to fragment the service. Cancer services are now to be upgraded at all three hospitals with a "lead" hospital or centre of excellence at Tullamore. Eighty per cent of cancer patients in the midlands will now be treated at the nearest hospital, with 21 per cent attending Tullamore hospital for the more specialised services. Radiotherapy will continue to be provided at St Luke's Hospital in Dublin.
When the idea of a "lead" hospital for cancer treatment in the midlands was first proposed in a report by Prof Donal Hollywood it met with an outcry from Portlaoise, where people took to the streets in protest, fearing a downgrading of Portlaoise hospital.