Cancer centre failed to meet most national standards
One of the hospitals designated as a centre of excellence for breast cancer was reportedly failing to meet 36 of 48 national standards in October of last year.
Reports this morning say an unpublished assessment of Waterford Regional Hospital found that it didn't meet any of the six criteria for the proper delivery of breast cancer surgery.
The hospital only had one specialist breast cancer surgeon instead of two and didn’t have the scanning device needed for about 95% of surgeries.
It also failed to meet deadlines for scheduling urgent appointments referred by GPs and for giving patients dates for their operations.
The assessment was carried out when services from three other hospitals were moved to Waterford as part of the Government’s plan to concentrate cancer services in special centres of excellence.
Waterford Regional is the specialist centre for the entire south-east region of the country.
