CANCER patients are being told they will have to suffer weeks of waiting for chemotherapy treatment because of a shortage of more than a dozen nurses, with none incoming to fill their shoes.
That’s according to Limerick TD Willie O’Dea, who says he has had sick people come to him who have been told they have an advanced cancer diagnosis but may have to wait up to six weeks for a treatment appointment.
Deputy O’Dea raised the issue in the Dáil, asking Health Minister Stephen Donnelly “if he is aware that despite the recruitment embargo being lifted, the oncology ward of University Hospital Limerick has lost over a dozen nurses with no new nurses appointed to replace these staff, resulting in chemotherapy being cancelled?”
Describing the situation as “a staffing crisis”, the Fianna Fáil TD asked the Minister what his plans are to deal with the shocking situation.
Deputy O’Dea said that, according to reliable information, “the chemotherapy department is operating at just 70 per cent of its capacity”.
“Gravely ill patients have to wait for unconscionable periods of time for essential treatments such as chemotherapy. I have been approached by families of people who have been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer who have not managed to get chemotherapy yet after six weeks’ delay.
“Sometimes when people get to the end of the waiting period, the date is postponed again. The same thing applies to people who are waiting for scans to ascertain whether their cancer is in remission.
“I appreciate the huge investment this government has made in University Hospital Limerick, but this is a very serious crisis affecting some very vulnerable people.”
O’Dea told the Limerick Post that “the stress and worry for those patients is bad enough, but added to that they’re being told getting vital treatment is being delayed”.
In a written Dáil answer to the question, the Minister told the Limerick TD that “as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible”.
On Tuesday, Minister Donnelly confirmed Budget 2025 funding for Limerick as part of the National Cancer Strategy.
Budget 2025 contains new investment in cancer services nationally of €41 million, including a €5.5 million allocation to the Alliance of Community Cancer Support and Service nationally, of which the Midwestern Cancer Information and Support Centre is a member.
At time of going to print, the Limerick Post received no clarification from the HSE or University Hospital Limerick whether a staffing shortage is leading to the cancellation of vital chemotherapy or other cancer-related appointments.
