Letterkenny University Hospital has established a working group to improve chemotherapy start times and bring them in line with national targets, the HSE has said.
Last month it was revealed that the hospital has the longest cancer treatment wait times in the HSE west and north west region.
Less than a third (31%) of patients are treated in the recommended timeframe of 15 working days at LUH. Instead, patients waiting on their first chemotherapy appointment at LUH face an average wait time of 22 working days.
A protest is taking place at the gates of LUH today by Inishowen cancer survivor Roseena Doherty Toner, who seeking an upgrade to local cancer care services.
In response to the protest, the HSE says several challenges face all cancer care units. The rising incidence of cancer and more complex treatments have placed extra demand on services. Patient survival rates have also improved, which increases demand for cancer services in general and cancer treatments, particularly the Day Wards.
The HSE has said that LUH is immediately improving cancer treatment start times by using a designated area within the inpatient ward as a Day Unit extension for Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment (SACT).
The statement in full is as follows:
The National Cancer Strategy 2017 – 2026 and the National Development Plan 2021 – 2030 (NDP) are committed to major capital investment in cancer infrastructure nationally with investment in quality infrastructure in the West North West region specifically called out in the National Development Plan: ‘in accordance with balanced regional development, a cancer care network for the Saolta region (West, Northwest) with a Cancer Centre at Galway University Hospital, with appropriate infrastructure will be delivered’.
The cancer centre infrastructure requirement at Galway University Hospital (GUH) is progressing as part of the Model 4 hospital site development.
The HSE West North West vision for cancer infrastructure in each of the model 3 hospitals is to develop appropriate Ambulatory Cancer Facilities (ACF) at Letterkenny University Hospital, (LUH), Mayo University Hospital, (MUH), Portiuncula University Hospital (PUH) and Sligo University Hospital (SUH) in line with the NDP.
In terms of Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment (SACT), activity in all of our units are challenged due to increased demand , increase in demand is multifactorial other than the predicted doubling of cancer incidence, including:
- new drugs increasingly approved for use
- development of immunotherapy and cellular therapies ( CAR-T) and associated complexities
- Increased tolerability of new drugs meaning patients with comorbidities can now be treated but are more complex to treat
- With the development of more modern drugs, treatment cycles now last longer and often indefinitely
- Increased duration and complexity of infusion times
- Increased survival rates due to more effective treatments leading to increased requirement for more lines of subsequent treatment when cancer returns or progresses
- Patient survival has improved, but this is associated with significant increase in demand for cancer services in general and cancer treatments, particularly the Day Wards.
In order to address these challenges as effectively and as timely as possible LUH have established a working group comprised of the members of the Cancer MCAN management team and hospital clinical and management teams and have commenced measures to improve chemotherapy start times with the objective of returning performance to KPI targets within the shortest possible timeline.
This includes the high risk cancer patients who are commencing the SACT therapy on an inpatient basis.
LUH has an area within the inpatient ward which has been designated as a Day Unit extension where patients can have their SACT treatment and will provide some immediate improvement in SACT start times.
