Minister for Health Mary Harney opened a new breast cancer service and a diabetes day centre at Beaumont Hospital today.
The new breast service was developed over the past 18 months and consists of two weekly breast cancer outpatient clinics as well as a new clinic for follow-up patients with breast cancer.
Beaumont Hospital where a new breast cancer service and a diabetes day centre was opened today
A state-of-the-art sentinel node programme for breast cancer patients has also been introduced to carry out lymph node biopsies. These
can reduce what might otherwise be a long-stay admission for patients to an overnight admission with reduced postoperative pain and discomfort and faster recovery.
A family assessment clinic for women who are genetically more prone to breast cancer is due to begin next year. Seven new consultant appointments have been made to facilitate the service, and staff have been recruited to work in clinical research, social work and counselling, physiotherapy and nursing.
The diabetes centre provides significantly improved facilities for a wide range of patients including outpatient clinics for newly diagnosed and return patients, clinics for young adolescents, a diabetes foot clinic, a combined diabetes and renal clinic and an insulin pump programme.
It will also run diabetes activity camps for young adolescents with type 1 diabetes and group education programmes for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Three consultants will work at the centre.
Beaumont hospital chief executive Liam Duffy said the new specialist services were important examples of how the hospital was enhancing the quality of its services to patients.