A leading health delegation is to visit Letterkenny University Hospirtal amidst growing concerns over cancer services there.
The Director of the National Cancer Control Programme Risteárd Ó Laoide and Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer of the HSE have accepted an invitation from the Donegal Action for Cancer Care.
A date for a coordinated joint visit which is mutually suitable is currently being agreed.
Betty Holmes of the DACC said “Donegal Action for Cancer Care wrote early on Monday 6th September & again yesterday 13th September, to Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly TD, the Director of the NCCP & the Chief Clinical Officer HSE with their urgent request that all three of them come & visit Letterkenny University Hospital asap & see what is needed. Respectfully we DACC believe that a visit by you all is long overdue.
“Why must LUH and Donegal people always be the “poor relation” of our health care system?
“We DACC highlighted our very serious concerns that we DACC believe & we have seen nothing to the contrary that key services are being gradually removed/stripped from LUH. We have seen nothing over all the years since we first said this that would change our minds.
“There are so many questions that need answers and the best way to get answers and address these is respectfully for each of these three gentlemen clearly within their professional roles to come to LUH & see what the issues are, what is needed, what each of them can do & also very important see the excellence that exists there even in these very difficult times.
“We copied the LUH Hospital Manager, CEO Saolta Hospital Group, the Donegal Minister and Donegal Deputies into our correspondence so all can know what we DACC continue to work at. We also attached our very important DACC map least they’d forget where we are.”
Ms Holmes sai they are now awaiting a response from the Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly TD to confirm that he will also visit with the other two, this is also very important.
In the email the DACC highlighted to Minister Donnelly respectfully that they very much welcome his announcement during last week regarding the establishment of Ireland’s first centre for menopause and its importance.
The DACC also asked the Health Minister “What about the women, the men & the children of all ages who need the services at Letterkenny Hospital now & into the future? Are they not important? Do their lives not matter? Why must LUH & Donegal people always be the “poor relation” of our health care system?”
The DACC say they will continue to work hard voluntary and unpaid and that they are not going away.
