Donegal cancer doctor joins colleagues in slamming underfunding of cancer strategy

Dr. Lukasz Milewski, an oncologist at Letterkenny University Hospital, was among the signatories of an open letter to the Taoiseach Simon Harris, that was published on Monday.

The letter stated: “Screening has not been expanded as planned. Target waiting times for cancer tests are not being met. Cancer surgeries are frequently delayed due to shortages in staffing, beds, and theatre space.”

The intervention was noted by Donegal TD Pearse Doherty in the Dáil on Tuesday.

"Yesterday 21 leading cancer doctors and researchers wrote to the Taoiseach. Among them was one from my county, Dr. Lukasz Milewski, who is a consultant medical oncologist at Letterkenny University Hospital in Donegal.

"The warnings by this doctor and others cannot be brushed aside by the Government. They warn that cancer screening has not been expanded as planned.

"They warn the targeted waiting times for cancer are not being met. They warn that cancer surgeries are frequently delayed due to shortages in staffing beds and theatre space,” the Sinn Féin TD told TDs.

Deputy Doherty claimed there had not been a ‘red cent’ from the Government over the past two years to provide funding to the National Cancer Strategy.

"What does this tell us? It tells us the Government is completely failing people on health, particularly those who have cancer. It is an indictment of the Government,” he claimed.

Minister of State at the Department of Health, Mary Butler, refuted Deputy Doherty’s claims and said there had been significant investment over recent years.

"The Government’s commitment to implementation of the National Cancer Strategy is evidenced by significant investment in recent years. We have seen significant progress on the implementation of the strategy with clear evidence-based policy direction from the Department and strong implementation by the HSE's national cancer control programme.

“The Government has invested an additional €40 million into treatment services under the national cancer strategy, and the total cumulative additional funding into treatment services under the strategy since 2017 is more than €230 million,” said the Minister of State.

Deputy Butler said this funding had enabled the recruitment of more than 670 staff to national cancer services since 2017, including an additional 200 nursing staff, 100 consultants, and 180 health and social care professionals in designated cancer centres.

"Additionally, €30 million has been invested in screening since 2020, including €20 million for the development of the new national cervical screening laboratory which opened in December 2022.

"This means that our national cancer services have been strengthened, that more patients are receiving treatment, and that waiting times to access treatment are reduced,” she said.

During the same debate Independent TD Sean Canney said people were getting taxis from Donegal to Galway for cancer treatment.

“People are coming from Donegal in ambulances and taxis to get their treatment in Galway. We do not think it out right. We need to make sure that we have the infrastructure in place,” he said.

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