Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced that a new Cancer Care Centre at University Hospital Galway is to be included in the HSE’s National Service Plan (NSP) next year.
The current cancer centre, based at UHG, caters for patients across the entire north-west region, but the facilities are outdated and not fit for purpose.
Prof Michael Kerin, Director of the Saolta-managed Clinical Academic Network, said the announcement is fantastic news for the people of the west and north-west of Ireland.
He said the west and the north-west of Ireland are the most disadvantaged and geographically dispersed with a higher-than-average older population and higher incidence of cancer overall.
“The cancer centre development will allow the delivery of cancer care to the region in a predictable manner, in a modern fit for purpose facility with access to appropriate cancer care, clinical trials, new knowledge from cancer research, and training and education of healthcare providers,” said Prof Kerin.
“This is entirely in line with the Sláintecare proposals and Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to save three million lives by 2030.”
