ABOUT 20 women from Kerry will be referred each week for clinical examination to the Symptomatic Breast Care Service at the Cork University Hospital cancer centre following the transfer of the service from Kerry General Hospital, it has emerged.
According to the HSE, it's anticipated that more than 7-10 per cent of these women will receive a positive diagnosis of breast cancer and will have to return to Cork for surgery, but they will be able to continue to receive chemotherapy and follow-up care in Kerry.
A HSE South spokesman said the remaining 90-93 per cent of women referred from Kerry to Cork for breast cancer screening will receive a diagnosis at Cork that no cancer was detected and they will be discharged back to their referring GP.
Under the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), breast cancer surgery services were transferred from Kerry Hospital on October 29th to Cork University Hospital which is set to become one of two HSE-designated centres in the south for cancer treatment.
NCCP director Prof Tom Keane said earlier this year that an excellent surgical service had been provided at Kerry where some 70-80 women undergo surgery for breast cancer every year, but better outcomes could be achieved where the service was not dependent on one surgeon.
"The fact that we're transferring breast surgery from Tralee is no criticism of Tom McCormack and the staff there but the evidence is striking that the best way to provide a service is by concentrating resources, leading to better outcomes," he said.
Only 10 per cent of breast cancer discharges from Kerry are for breast cancer surgery with 60 per cent of all breast cancer discharges relating to chemotherapy which is going to remain in Tralee and will be enhanced and expanded under the NCCP, according to Prof Keane.
The HSE spokesman said the additional resources required to accommodate patients from Kerry at CUH have been approved with seven dedicated day and inpatient beds now provided for cancer surgery patients from Kerry.
The HSE has appointed an additional 10 medical and nursing staff at CUH to meet the requirements of being a regional cancer centre. A staff nurse specialising in anaesthetics is due to take up a post later this month while an existing staff member is to be redeployed as a medical laboratory scientist with a date to be agreed in the coming weeks.
Interviews have been held for a consultant breast surgeon and the successful candidate has been offered the post. Interviews have also been held for a consultant anaesthetist and for a locum consultant radiologist.
The HSE and the Irish Cancer Society have agreed additional funding for a new Travel2Care Scheme, which will be managed independently by the Irish Cancer Society locally to assist patients who have genuine difficulty in travelling to Cork for this service.
Anyone with a concern regarding their treatment or the transfer of the symptomatic breast care service can contact the breast care nurse in Kerry General, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm on 066-7184000 or Bleep 434