Donegal Action for Cancer Care traveled to Brussels today to meet with key EU Commission Health Reps to address various aspects of the potential impacts of Brexit for Donegal patients.
SPokeswoman Betty Holmes said the group appreciate there are many serious concerns regarding the impact of Brexit.
However, she added they feel that the urgent and very important cross-border health services issues are not being talked about as they should be.
She said “We are in Brussels to ask that key EU Members whose key work role includes Health for EU Members address the major issues that will affect/ impact on cancer services & other key health services for Donegal patients & indeed children in the 6 Counties of Northern Ireland post-Brexit March 2019.
“We have written to An Taoiseach Mr Varadkar, Health Minister Mr. Harris & the Rt, Hon. Teresa May MP regarding our concerns. We must thank Mr. Matt Carthy MEP for his help with this.”
Among some of their concerns re health with the impact of Brexit are:
• The two Linear Radiotherapy Units at Altnagelvin Hospital that the Irish Government made considerable investment (19 million ) for Donegal Cancer Patients, what happens post-Brexit March 2019? Without a Critical Mass how will the Radiotherapy Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital function post Brexit for the people in the 6 counties?
• The service agreement that is in place for 348 Donegal cancer patients for Radiotherapy how will this be protected?
• Will Donegal cancer patients be able to access Radiotherapy at Altnagelvin post Brexit?
• Can patient medical information sharing continue across the Border post Brexit?
• Cross Border Cardiac services for Donegal patients- how will this be able to continue?
• What impact will there be for Ambulances crossing the Border into Northern Ireland taking patients to Altnagelvin Hospital?
• Will ambulances from the 6 Counties be able to attend RTA’s & Medical Emergencies in Donegal and take patients to Altnagelvin Hospital as it is the closest?
• Cross border Paediatric Cardiology Services for children in the 6 counties accessing treatment at Dublin Hospitals?
• Cross Border Community Health Initiatives funded through the EU?
• Also for serious consideration is the fact that the long awaited 2nd Breast Surgeon at Letterkenny University Hospital who started on the 24th July has a Cross Border element to that appointment. We have concerns that the post was only a Locum one for 1 year which is not acceptable at all.
Ms Holmes added “For us in DACC these are all important services but our very serious concerns are and we are sure you can appreciate regarding the future of the Radiotherapy Unit at Altnagelvin. The real impact will not be evident for 3-5 year. Brexit date is March 2019.
“We are taking our DACC map with us highlighting again Donegal’s very unique geographical & isolated geographical position. This map is now more important than ever, we first took it to our meeting with Minister Harris in Feb. 2015!!
“We in Donegal Action for Cancer Care ask are asking if there is a Hard Border that the European Union must help Donegal patients by ensuring that the necessary supports would be made available to the Irish Government to ensure that Letterkenny University Hospital Co. Donegal will be resourced and developed to meet the needs of the population as stated in the European Commission on Effective, Accessible & Resilient Health Systems and that Donegal does not continue to be excluded!
“Again if you look at the DACC map & our unique geographical position you will see that we are excluded when you see that the 8 Centres of Excellence are across & below the Galway/Dublin line.
“We DACC refer to the European Commission- On effective, accessible and resilient health systems.
Health systems must be accessible. This is one of the principles stated in the European Social Charter, which emphasises the importance of transparent criteria for access to medical treatment and the obligation for States to have adequate healthcare system which does not exclude parts of the population from receiving healthcare services. For us Donegal patients must not always be excluded.”
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