Serious medical concerns over the administration of drugs to cancer patients led to the suspension of referrals to the Galway Hospice three months ago.The 12-bed hospice is still not taking any new patients, and the hospice board is seeking an early meeting with the Western Health Board (WHB) to try and reverse this decision.
Hospice care is currently being provided by University College Hospital, Galway (UCHG), but a senior oncologist said yesterday that it would be preferable to treat them in a hospice setting.
The controversy over Galway Hospice arose just over a month ago, when the hospice board initiated an independent review of medical administration procedures at the establishment and confirmed that the 12-bed unit was closed to new admissions.
One patient is currently being treated in the hospice, and day-care and home-care services for more than 100 patients are continuing to be run. The hospice depends largely on voluntary contributions, but received €2.3 million last year from the WHB.
The review was welcomed by the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO), while the WHB said it would co-operate fully with the hospice board.
The INO represents most of the 17 nursing staff employed to treat in-patients, and the eight staff on the home-care team.
It has now emerged that the decision to suspend the patient-referrals was taken by the palliative consultant attached to the hospice, who is employed by the WHB.
It is understood that the consultant was concerned about drug administration, and other procedures which were not in line with developments in palliative care.
The Irish Hospital Consultants' Association has said the issue was too sensitive to comment on.
The impasse has increased the pressure on oncology services at UCHG.
Dr Oliver McAnena, regional director of cancer care services, said patients were receiving excellent palliative care within the hospital, but that it would be preferable if this was administered in a true hospice environment.
The WHB would make no comment on the row yesterday, beyond stating it was co-operating with the hospice board.
The hospice board said it was "acutely aware of the concerns regarding the continuing non-referral of patients to its 12-bed in-patient unit, which remains open to receive patients".
It said that it wished to emphasise that daycare and homecare services were continuing.
A spokesman for the board could give no timescale for completion of the "independent review".
Also on the group are a pharmacist and two nurse managers. The group would be able to draw on additional expert inputs if required, the spokesman said.
The Irish Nurses' Organisation called last night on the Western Health Board to facilitate the reopening of the Galway Hospice for in-patient admissions.