More than 100 Mayo patients are treated each week at the oncology unit of Mayo General Hospital, Beverley Flynn TD has been informed.
Statistics provided by the hospital to the Mayo deputy reveal that just over 5,000 attendances were recorded last year for oncology treatment at Mayo General in both day and outpatient services.
And that figure does not include a very significant number of patients who attended general surgery and medical services for cancer related illnesses, but which cannot be directly quantified.
“These statistics underpin the urgent need for a purpose built oncology unit at Mayo General where patients can be treated with privacy and staff would be able to work in more spacious conditions,” said Deputy Flynn.
“It confirms the urgency of bringing the proposed new €7m unit to conclusion as speedily as possible,” she continued.
She said that the figures bear out the key role played by Mayo General in delivering first class cancer treatment services to the people of Mayo.
“These figures will come as a surprise to many Mayo people who were told that cancer services in Mayo were being closed down, and that cancer patients would have to travel to Galway for treatment. They give the lie to those who insisted that Mayo General had no future in cancer treatment, and that Mayo patients would be forced to endure long journeys to Galway for treatment.
“There are 100 Mayo cancer patients being treated each week for oncology at Mayo General Hospital. How does that square with the strident pronouncements we heard so often that cancer services were transferred from Castlebar to Galway? Those who set out to cause needless stress and anxiety to cancer sufferers and their families, when they knew better, should be ashamed of themselves,” she added.
