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16/11/2005
Minister agrees to radiotherapy services for Donegal
Health Minister Shaun Woodward has announced his agreement in principle, to provide radiotherapy services for some Donegal patients at the new Belfast Cancer Centre.
The Minister's announcement follows a North-South Partnership meeting on Wednesday with Irish Tánaiste Mary Harney.
The details of the proposed arrangements however are to be finalised, with further discussion required on the specific radiotherapy needs of Donegal patients, as well as how these needs might best be responded to in Northern Ireland, and the associated funding arrangements.
The Minister said: "The new Cancer Centre in Belfast, which is due to open early next year, will offer patients access to world-class cancer diagnosis and treatment services.
"My first priority will be to ensure these high quality services are available to the Northern Ireland population, but there are also opportunities to use existing spare capacity to provide radiotherapy services to some patients in Donegal without affecting the services available to local patients.
"Obviously detailed further discussions with clinicians will be required to finalise the proposed arrangements. Additional clinical staff will need to be recruited (paid for by the Republic of Ireland) to deal with the additional workload."
The Minister and the Tánaiste also discussed suicide prevention strategies and agreed to continue working together to explore the scope for practical measures to reduce the high suicide rate, particularly among young men.
The two Ministers were speaking at a North-South Partnership meeting at the Europa Hotel in Belfast.
(MB/SP)
The Minister's announcement follows a North-South Partnership meeting on Wednesday with Irish Tánaiste Mary Harney.
The details of the proposed arrangements however are to be finalised, with further discussion required on the specific radiotherapy needs of Donegal patients, as well as how these needs might best be responded to in Northern Ireland, and the associated funding arrangements.
The Minister said: "The new Cancer Centre in Belfast, which is due to open early next year, will offer patients access to world-class cancer diagnosis and treatment services.
"My first priority will be to ensure these high quality services are available to the Northern Ireland population, but there are also opportunities to use existing spare capacity to provide radiotherapy services to some patients in Donegal without affecting the services available to local patients.
"Obviously detailed further discussions with clinicians will be required to finalise the proposed arrangements. Additional clinical staff will need to be recruited (paid for by the Republic of Ireland) to deal with the additional workload."
The Minister and the Tánaiste also discussed suicide prevention strategies and agreed to continue working together to explore the scope for practical measures to reduce the high suicide rate, particularly among young men.
The two Ministers were speaking at a North-South Partnership meeting at the Europa Hotel in Belfast.
(MB/SP)
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