My understanding is that Breast Cancer Units at smaller hospitals have been closed and patients referred to larger hospitals because they didn’t meet the preresiquites of viable Breast Cancer Units.   Misdiagnosis is no longer acceptable and rightly so.   I was referred to the Breast Cancer Unit at Tallaght hospital last autumn, had a mastectomy operation in December and am horrified to learn that the Department of Health/HSE plan to close this unit.   Results of my initial tests came back negative.     But for the triple assessment and the weekly team review meetings in place at Tallaght my cancer would have been missed and I am terrified to think what the outcome might have been.   Within a couple of weeks more extensive tests were done, I was diagnosed, everything was put in place, all my options were explained and the care I received from the surgeon and all the team was second to none.  

The numbers using the unit are very high.   The clinics are always packed.   Thankfully most of the women will not be diagnosed with Breast Cancer but you could not find yourself in a better place if the worst should happen.   I’m sure that the percentage of positive diagnosis vary all the time and can go up and down.   Surely it’s the numbers presenting for testing that count. 

Tallaght Hospital is easy enough to get to from the surrounding counties.   Travelling further into the city to St. Vincents or St. James hospital will put extra stress and pressure on women who are already dealing with every womans worst nightmare.  Not to mention the fact that the number at these clinics will increase greatly.

I’ve written to the Taoisigh’s office, the Minister for Health, and the HSE enquiring about this decision and the reasons behind it.  I got a reply from the Taoisigh’s office saying it was nothing to do with them and they were referring my query to the Minister for Health.   I got a reply from the Mary Harney’s office saying it was nothing to do with them as the HSE were employed to deal with this area (obviously our Taoisigh doesn’t know who is responsible for what!!!)   I have yet to hear from the HSE and even if I ever get a reply I doubt they’ll explain, what in my opinion, is a crazy decision.  

The Breast Cancer Unit at Tallaght Hospital works and should not be closed.