Unity urged

Unity urged on MGH

Claire Egan

INDEPENDENT TD Beverley Flynn has urged all political representatives to forgo petty political squabbles over the retention of cancer services at Mayo General Hospital and ‘put Mayo first’.
In a hard-hitting statement, Deputy Flynn called for support from her Mayo Oireachtas colleagues and for all involved to put aside party prejudices and strive for the retention of cancer services at MGH.
“It is accepted now across the board that there is only one proposal which can save cancer services at MGH. That is the proposal which I have put in persuasive detail to both the Minister for Health, Mary Harney and the head of the HSE, Professor Brendan Drumm,” said Deputy Flynn.
Last week, Prof Drumm, CEO of the HSE, announced that cancer surgical services will be withdrawn from MGH and transferred to Galway but that chemotherapy would remain at the Mayo unit. Surgery and diagnoses will take place at UCHG but all aftercare services would take place at MGH.
Deputy Flynn, as part of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, had met with Professor Tom Keane, Director of Cancer Control, on December 18. At that meeting, it was proposed that, in tandem with the National Cancer Care Strategy, MGH retain all of their cancer care service but inter-link with University College Hospital, Galway (UCHG) with Consultant Surgeon Kevin Barry participating as part of a multi-disciplinary team at UCHG.
“I am calling for a united approach and I know that I speak for the people of Mayo in calling on my Oireachtas colleagues to back my proposal and to display unity of purpose,” said Deputy Flynn.