Cancer patients face eight-year wait for basic scans at University Hospital Galway
Cancer patients using services at University Hospital Galway (UHG) may not have access to necessary scans for almost another decade as the hospital contains no PET scanner.
TD Louis O’Hara enquired about the delivery of a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and CT scanner to UHG with the health minister at the end of July. The response, made by the general manager of Galway University Hospitals, stated a proposal has been made to deliver three additional CT scanners as well as one PET scanner by the year 2033.
PET scanners use a radioactive tracer to pinpoint where in the body cells are highly active which can be a specific indicator of cancer.
The statement said this deliverable will be under the Development Control Plan for the hospital.
Deputy O’Hara raises extreme concern over the wait cancer patients will have to endure for this technology to be easily accessible. There are currently no PET scanners available at UHG which means patients are forced to travel longer distances to access scans.
“There is a postcode lottery in Ireland when it comes to cancer treatment which has a major impact on how likely a person is to receive treatment in a timely manner and ultimately survive cancer.”
Patients are facing up to eight weeks in between diagnosis and treatment in the West when the National Cancer Strategy states that treatment should commence within 15 days.
“Cancer patients in the west of Ireland are entitled to the same level of care as those living elsewhere and this inequality must be addressed.”
Deputy O’Hara added: “This is deeply concerning, and it means that public patients from the west and northwest often have to travel long distances to access PET scans in Cork or Dublin. Medical teams cannot afford to allow patients to wait 6 weeks plus for PET scans and will often begin treatment based on CT and MRI scan results, which is far from ideal. It also means costly outsourcing to private clinics for access to PET scans.”
UHG is one of eight designated National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) centres and was recently accredited as an Organisation of European Cancer Institute. The accreditation was given after extensive review and engagement on the unit.