Underfunding and Cutbacks at University Hospital Galway may hit end-of-life cancer patients

This report from the Irish Times March 30th 2010.

It is reported that patients with advanced cancer in the west of Ireland could be denied critical end-of-life treatment as a result of the underfunding of cancer drugs at University College Hospital Galway (UCHG). The hospital has not yet received the €12 million in funding and 30 extra staff promised as part of its designation as a national cancer centre. Apparently the hospital is facing a €22 million budget deficit this year and is required by the HSE to make cuts to address this deficit. The article reports that one of the major contributory factors to this budgetary situation is the fact that UCHG has not yet received €12 million for cancer drugs, since the hospital was designated a cancer centre.

It is also reported that the hospital was struggling to cope without 30 promised cancer posts which have yet to be filled, and that the hospital had been forced to cut back on vital services in order to try to address the crippling deficit. These cutbacks include a €3 million cut to aggressive cancer treatment for end-of-life patients, a €1 million cut to orthopaedics procedures, a 50 per cent cut to gynaecological services and a €1 million cut to the provision of prosthetics.