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"Warning - we're on a slippery
slope"
10.09.08
A DONEGAL cancer group
has warned of a "slippery slope" that will see
cancer services gradually eroded in the county.
Donegal Action for Cancer Care (DACC) issued their
warning following the removal of the colposcopy
service from Letterkenny General Hospital. In
future, patients will have to travel to Sligo for
the procedure. The colposcopy consultant revealed
yesterday that he has now been told to stop
admitting medical card patients at Letterkenny for
the service.
Colposcopy is a procedure that examines a women's
cervix for abnormalities. It has been available at
the hospital for the past six years. |
Around 700 Donegal
women avail of the service annually and the figure,
according to DACC, was expected to quadruple with
the roll out of the National Cervical Screening
Programme last week.
The group said the colposcopy service generated
additional income for Letterkenny Hospital, |
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making in excess of
€100,000 last year.
"Donegal people should be asking who made this
decision and why was the removal of this service
allowed to happen?" said a DACC spokesperson.
"Women from as far away as Malin Head will have to
travel almost six hours for a simple procedure to
Sligo Hospital that has been done for the past six
years in Letterkenny Hospital." DACC is demanding
the restoration of the service with immediate
effect.
"Most of our politicians are paying lip service to
our cancer services in Donegal and it is no longer
acceptable. Donegal people take heed – this is the
slippery slope of the gradual leakage of cancer
services from Donegal.
"It took three and a half years to secure our
permanent breast surgeon - how many Donegal women
will have to die to get this Colpscopy service
restored? We encourage you to contact your local
politicians to voice your concerns, and ask them
what they are doing for the cancer services in
Donegal," added the spokesperson. |
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