The retiring hospital manager of University Hospital Galway has said she fears the hospital will no longer be able to function as one of eight designated cancer care centres.
Bridget Howley made her comments in light of a reduction in the hospital’s budget.
The issue was raised by Galway councillor Padraig Conneely at a meeting of the Regional Health Forum’s hospital committee on Tuesday.
Cllr Conneely said the retiring manager issued a letter in which she highlighted her concerns about the cancer centre. This is the same centre to which Mayo breast cancer patients are now referred for diagnostic services and surgery.
Sligo General Hospital’s breast cancer services have now also been transferred to UHG and it is feared the Galway facility won’t be able to cope with the increase in patients.
However Alan Moran, hospital network manager for the HSE western hospital group, refuted Ms Howley’s claims and said the centre was functioning. He said the HSE do not expect the hospital to break even with their budgets this year and they don’t expect they will be able to reduce overspends.
Mr Moran was adamant that the centre was functioning. He pointed out that, were the budget not over-running by €8 million, the cancer centre would not function, but due to the hospital’s inability to stick to the reduced budget imposed on it due to cutbacks, the centre was functioning.
