Private clinic radiotherapy open to all cancer patients in southeast

Public cancer patients in the southeast will no longer have to travel long distances for radiotherapy treatment following the signing of an agreement between the HSE and a private clinic in Waterford.

The HSE has signed an agreement with UPMC Whitfield Cancer Centre in Waterford city which will give public patients access to radiotherapy facilities there.

Until now, chronically ill public cancer patients had to travel 80 miles to Cork or 100 miles to Dublin for radiotherapy treatment.

Michael Costello, managing director of UPMC Cancer Centres International, claimed the agreement would give cancer patients in the southeast access to the highest quality cancer care found anywhere in the world.

The HSE's South Eastern Hospitals Group's network manager, Richard Dooley, said the centre was "a component part of a world leader in cancer service delivery and we are satisfied that patients from the southeast will be treated to the best available standards".

He said the centre would work in co-operation with Cork University Hospital in its regional role in the National Radiotherapy Plan.

The contract between the HSE and the service providers, who have a management agreement with UPMC Cancer Centres Ireland Ltd, a subsidiary of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, Pennsylvania, is for the administrative and clinical management of cancer treatment at Whitfield.

Dr James Madden, chairman of Euro Care International, the owner of the Whitfield Clinic, welcomed the successful outcome of negotiations with the HSE.

"I am glad that we can now implement our commitment that this facility will be open on an equal basis to all patients from the southeast region who need it - irrespective of whether their treatment was funded by private health insurers or the HSE," said Dr Madden.

The people of Waterford have been involved in an ongoing campaign over the past number of years to have a public radiotherapy unit located at Waterford Regional Hospital. They have raised concerns that the opening of Whitfield would mitigate against their efforts to secure a public unit for Waterford.