I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this important issue, the interruption in the breast service at Nenagh General Hospital. I will outline the background to this issue to the Minister of State.
About 12 years ago a number of formidable ladies in an ICA guild – the Leader of the House will know the type of person I mean – formed a group to fund raise for the establishment of a mammography service in Nenagh General Hospital. One of the group's members had developed breast cancer and, arising from their concern about this issue, the group started its fund raising campaign. As a result of the successful campaign a group called the Friends of Nenagh Hospital was established. This group is still in existence. It is a powerful lobby group on behalf of the hospital and has worked extremely hard to ensure that equipment is kept updated and that the staff and infrastructure of the hospital are supported. The group has been most successful in this.
It was a matter of grave concern and huge disappointment to learn about eight weeks ago that the mammograph machine had come to the end of its natural life but that the Mid-Western Health Board had no intention of replacing it. Eighteen months ago the same series of events occurred in Ennis General Hospital. The mammograph machine there had come to the end of its life but the health board took the view that it should be replaced. The decision regarding Nenagh General Hospital, however, was negative. No consultation took place with the local community or the Friends of Nenagh Hospital. The news was released via the local media. This happened at about the beginning of October.
Being a public representative and a woman, I received a huge number of calls, letters and personal representations about it. As a result I organised a public meeting which was held about four weeks ago. There was a huge attendance, about 98% of whom were women. That reflects the major concern in the community about not only the loss of the service but also the fact that there is no interim service to replace it.
Until about a year ago Nenagh General Hospital provided a fine breast and smear clinic. It was run within the hospital and was available to anybody who sought it. The mammograph machine was an important element of the service. The smear clinic was replaced by the national screening programme. It is a good programme although I do not approve of some elements of it. The screening programme has been implemented nationwide and is being provided through general practitioners. Hopefully, it will be an effective service.
The BreastCheck programme is not available in the Mid-Western Health Board area. I have been in contact with the BreastCheck service and have been told that from the date the service receives funding, it will take a further two years for the roll out of the service to reach north Tipperary. There is a minimum wait, therefore, of two years for a breast screening service.
North Tipperary has no breast screening service at present. This is an issue of great concern to many women. Yesterday a petition was launched to seek a restoration of the breast screening service in Nenagh hospital. It is extremely important that there be an interim arrangement based in Nenagh until the national programme is implemented.
The Minister of State will probably refer to the centre of excellence based in Limerick Regional Hospital. We welcome that development but it is not yet a centre of excellence and it will not be until it is given full funding. There are concerns about the availability of funding, particularly in the coming year or so. We do not, therefore, have a centre of excellence and there is no screening service. It should not be too much to ask that an interim arrangement be established in Nenagh General Hospital to provide a service to women in the north Tipperary area.
I have seen a number of letters on this matter which were brought to me by women in the area. One woman showed me a letter in which her GP had asked, on her behalf, for a mammograph in Limerick. The reply said she was not to get a mammograph because she did not display any signs or symptoms. She is hugely upset by the letter, as any woman would be. It is unacceptable.
The experts tell us that requests for mammographs in Limerick are being screened, in other words, the letters being sent to Limerick are being sifted and decisions are made on them. That is unacceptable. This is happening against a background of high public awareness about breast cancer, as there should be, and a high level of public attention to the issue. There is also a high level of public concern and disquiet, particularly in north Tipperary, that the health needs of women are not being met by the service.
I appeal to the Minister to ensure that some type of interim arrangement is put in place. I will be part of a delegation which will go to the December meeting of the Mid-Western Health Board. This is the argument we will make. We will also put forward more points which I do not have the time to put forward now. We will not stand idly by and allow this situation to continue. It is not acceptable. Women's health is in danger and there is much public disquiet about it. I ask for a positive response.
