Cancer services moving to Galway from Sligo

According to todays Indo there are major protests planned in Sligo at plans by the HSE to transfer the cancer services for the North West of the Country to Galway.

I don't understand the HSE proposal and I don't understand the protests.

To me sending these services to Galway, seems to be a case of the HSE bashing a round peg into a square hole, just because it's there.

Have we not seen enough of this type of squabbling, where people in different parts of the country want to keep their local hospital fully operating and dealing with life or death matters such as cancer, even though the staff may not see enough cases per year in order for the hospital to become and remain a centre of exellence. What about the cases in another part of the Country, and I wonder how the people who argued to keep these services open felt when they found out what had happened. How would they feel if it was one of their own family that died as a result.

I know there is the usual Dublin V the Rest, but that sort of argument should be kept out of something as important as this. If I lived in the North West and needed these services, I think it would be a lot easier for me to travel to Dublin.

The Sligo train passes through Drumcondra Station, where it stops (sometimes). This station is only a 10 minute walk from the Mater Hospital. (or you could take the train straight into Connolly and get a commuter train the one stop back, or get a taxi, or walk if that was your preference).

I don't think the roads between Sligo and Galway are that hot. At least if you opt to go to Dublin for treatment, the roads on the way are better and as I said you have the option of using the train, if that is your preferred means of travel.

A person going home from hospital, having just undergone treatment for cancer, should not have to go to somewhere for treatment, more inconvienient and uncomfortable for them to get to, just because it's there.

Also, what about the people who don't have a car. What public transport is there from Donegal or Sligo to Galway and how regular and dependable is it?

You pays your money and you takes your chances. I know what I would do, if I found I had a lump that needed investigation, and it was my life on the line. If I found my Sligo Dr writing me out a referral letter to Galway, I wouldn't be long about telling him to change it to the Mater.

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-...cer-services-from-sligo-hospital-1360174.html



Murt

AFAIK the HSE plan is to move diagnostic functions to centres but leave the therapeutic functions in the regional hospitals. In other words you get diagnosed and operated on in Dublin, Cork, Galway (or where ever) but you get your chemo etc locally.
It seems logical to me

If I lived in the North West and needed these services, I think it would be a lot easier for me to travel to Dublin.

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You obviously don't live in the North west. If you look at where it is, it isn't just Sligo. It covers "the North West"

I don't think the roads between Sligo and Galway are that hot. At least if you opt to go to Dublin for treatment, the roads on the way are better and as I said you have the option of using the train, if that is your preferred means of travel.

A person going home from hospital, having just undergone treatment for cancer, should not have to go to somewhere for treatment, more inconvienient and uncomfortable for them to get to, just because it's there.

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The roads between Sligo and Galway are just as good as the roads to Dublin.

You are correct in saying a person shouldn't have to travel inconveniently and uncomfortably to get cancer treatment. Dublin, as well as Galway would be considered inconvenient and uncomfortable to most people.

It's not just the person getting the treatment who is at a loss. If family members are travelling long distances, they would have the cost of accommodation as well as the travel costs.

I would be pretty sure that if it was the case that cancer services were moved from Dublin to Galway or elsewhere, this forum would be pretty full in a matter of minutes.

The HSE is now broken into 4 areas and the HSE - WEst covers from Limerick up to Donegal so that's the reason Galway was picked.

becky said:

The HSE is now broken into 4 areas and the HSE - WEst covers from Limerick up to Donegal so that's the reason Galway was picked.

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That's what I meant when I said that the HSE was bashing a round peg into a square hole, just because it's there. To my mind Galway and Sligo have very little in common besides the fact that they are on the west coast.

Perhaps someone could confirm how difficult or easy would it be for a person (both the patient and their relatives) to get from Sligo/Donegal to Galway on public transport.

There is a train that leaves Sligo every two hours for Dublin. The service starts at 5.45 and the journey takes 3 hours. Likewise there is a train leaving Dublin for Sligo every 2 hours, last train departing at 19.00 hrs.

What is the bus service like between Sligo and Galway. How often does the buses run, what time is the first and last one each way, and where do they leave you in relation to the hospital.

The poster also confirmed that HSE west covers as far south as Limerick. It is possible to travel from Limerick to Cork by train. There are 10 trains today and the journey takes 2 hrs. Again how easy is it to travel by public transport from Limerick to Galway and in reality will people in Limerick travel to Cork rather than Galway for teatment.

And, by the way, I havn't got it in for Galway. It just doesn't seem to me to be the best place for people who do not live near it to be treated for serious illnesses.


edit One final question, is it possible for someone living in Donegal to travel to hospital in the North for treatment, or will they refuse to treat them and send them away?



Murt

People need to understand that if they live in a sparsely populated area, they will not have the same level of services as if they live in a densely populated area. And were not just talking about public services - its the same for commercial services.

People need to weigh up the pros and cons of wherever they chose to live and take responsibility for their choice. There are advantages and disadvantages to living in urban and rural areas. Unfortunately the lack of services is one of the disadvantages of rural areas.

The whole debate about keeping local hospitals open so that people can get treated locally, will be inconvenienced minimally and not put visitors to to much hassle is one that drives me nuts.
The trouble is that cancer treatment and its success is not based on how convenient it is but on outcomes. In other words, survival rates. Not much point in having facilities locally with staff not getting enough cases and the patient dying 10 years earlier.
In the 50's you had to go long distances to get TB treatment unless you happened to live near a sanatorium , that was in the days when transport , money and cars were scarce.
We are a nation of whingers who want a major trauma and maternity service in every county and oncology services located where we dont have the population centres to support them. If we want all this why oh why do we insist on voting in political parties who lower income taxes?
In British Columbia, which is three times the size of Ireland , there are three or four centres of excellence.
Manchester has more people than the whole of this country.If we want this health service which anyway regardless of money is against all the scientific evidence, then start thinking of HUGE COSTS.