ENNIS GENERAL Hospital, which is at the centre of the latest controversy over its failure to diagnose a breast cancer patient, was ordered by the HSE last September to stop providing any breast cancer diagnosis and treatment services.
It was one of 14 smaller hospitals asked to stop providing breast cancer services at that time after the Health Service Executive unveiled its plan to provide almost all care for cancer patients at just eight larger hospitals within two years.
The HSE has confirmed in correspondence in recent weeks that the transfer of cancer services from other smaller hospitals to the eight designated centres is continuing unabated.
It said services at Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar, are due to transfer to Galway's University College Hospital this month.
Services at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, are due to transfer on a gradual basis to Dublin's Beaumont Hospital between now and the end of November.
It also confirmed that the transfer of cancer services from Kerry General Hospital, Tralee, to Cork University Hospital is scheduled for next month, as is the transfer of cancer services from hospitals in Wexford and Kilkenny to Waterford Regional Hospital.
The letter, written by the HSE to breast cancer misdiagnosis victim Rebecca O'Malley on August 11th last, added: "This will leave only the South Infirmary Victoria to transfer to CUH, which is aimed for the end of the first quarter 2009, and Tallaght transfer to St James's, which is well into the development phase and will occur in a similar time-frame."
When services transfer, initial diagnosis of a patient and their surgery will take place at the designated centres. Chemotherapy will continue to be delivered locally.
The Irish Cancer Society reiterated yesterday that it supported the eight specialist breast cancer centres.