Minister orders investigation into reported delays in treating children with cancer

Minister for Health James Reilly has ordered an investigation into reports of delays in cancer treatment for children at Our Lady's hospital in Crumlin, Dublin.

He told Sinn Féin health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin he was not aware of any untoward delays in the treatment of cancer patients in any adult hospitals. However, he said: “I am concerned to hear about a situation in Our Lady’s hospital in Crumlin, and I have asked for an investigation into it.”

Mr Ó Caoláin had highlighted a letter written by the chief executives of four of the largest hospitals in the State to the HSE, warning that the quality and safety of patient services in those hospitals was seriously threatened by cuts.

Five budgets
He said the chief executives at the Mater, St James's, Tallaght and Crumlin children's hospital wrote to the HSE, stating the current situation in the hospitals was a consequence of five budgets resulting in overall cuts of €206 million.

He said Dr Reilly had on many occasions lauded the advances made in cancer care provision but “make no mistake about it, even cancer patients are now experiencing unacceptable delays in access to treatment”.

The Minister said he had asked for an investigation into reported delays in Crumlin, and insisted the budget should allow for priority to be given to the most acutely ill, particularly children with cancer.

Mr Ó Caoláin said the chief executives “are saying the cuts imposed by the Minister and the Government, coupled with demands for fewer staff while at the same time insisting on shorter waiting lists, is totally unsustainable”.

The Cavan-Monaghan TD said they argued that “this shortsighted and random application of budgetary reductions is clearly likely to seriously damage the foundation of the system”.

'Remotely random'
The Minister said there was "nothing remotely random about the manner in which the budget was allocated for 2013. Hospitals were actually given an increase."

He said two of the four hospitals got increases of 5.5 per cent and 2.8 per cent respectively and two received a small reduction. He expected the chief executives to do their jobs in meeting their budgets and meeting their patients’ requirements.

“I have also made it very clear that patient safety is a core responsibility of a CEO because there seems to be a mind abroad that thinks this is only an issue for doctors and nurses but it is not. It is a core issue for management.”

The Minister pointed out that this year’s health budget was more than €13 billion.

There was a “demographic challenge” because every year there were 20,000 more people aged over 65, a growth rate of 3.5 per cent, while the average growth rate of the population was 0.5 per cent.