THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) has rejected criticism by cancer care activists over a "significant scaling back" of promised new cancer facilities at Waterford Regional Hospital.
Proposals for a 42-bed oncology unit, part of a planned range of new cancer care facilities at the hospital, have been dropped in favour of a unit with just 19 dedicated inpatient beds.
The HSE confirmed the move but maintains its revised plan is for a bigger and more inclusive cancer centre that would cost approximately €10 million more than the original scheme.
However, the South Eastern Cancer Foundation (SECF) patient support group has sharply criticised the reduction in bed numbers. It has also expressed concern that funding for a hospice at the hospital, also part of the overall plan, seems to have been put on the long finger.
"We were informed of the changes at a meeting attended by the SECF, the HSE and Prof Tom Keane, who is national director of cancer control," said Jane Bailey, a campaigner for the foundation. "We told Prof Keane that a 19-bed oncology unit is not going to meet the needs of patients in the region.
"We have an expected doubling of cancer statistics in the south-east. The 42-bed unit was based on the fact that, at any given time, Waterford Regional Hospital would have 40-60 oncology patients in beds . . ."
"As for the fact that no funding seems to be in place for the planned hospice, it's absolutely crazy. The southeast has been identified as one of three regions in the country that cannot provide the minimum level of palliative care services," she said.
Ms Bailey said 62 per cent of Waterford patients who died from cancer did so in hospital, compared with 23 per cent in the northeast because there was a hospice in that region.
In a statement, the HSE said revised plans had been proposed following engagement with Prof Keane. The new proposals, it said, included provision for 30 day beds, an additional 10 "review beds" with increased capacity to treat patients, and the 19-bed in-patient ward. The plans also included an expanded outpatient facility including consulting, diagnostic and treatment facilities for breast care, and facilities for other cancer services.
Dr Brian Hennessy, consultant haematologist at the hospital, said the revised plans "had been arrived at through consultation involving senior personnel" involved in cancer care.
"The number of inpatient beds as currently planned, although less than in the previous proposal, is more than compensated by a significant increase in dedicated outpatient suites and day-care beds," he said. "The model of care that will be delivered is based on international best practice and will deliver the highest-quality cancer care to patients in the southeast."
Regarding the proposed hospice, Dr Hennessy added that this was the subject of a separate plan and the hope was that it would be provided "in the fullness of time".
Waterford Regional Hospital is designated as one of eight centres of excellence for cancer care in Ireland under the National Cancer Control Plan.