Minister hasn't ruled it out: Boost for NW Cancer Centre campaign
The campaign for a dedicated cancer centre in the North West has received a welcome boost with news that Health Minister Michael McGimpsey hasn't ruled out the option.
According to Derry MLA Raymond McCartney, there has been a “significant” change in the attitudes of health authorities on both sides of the border towards the proposals to locate a cancer centre in the region.
Mr McCartney says a campaign led by groups and politicians from across the North West has forced health ministers in both Belfast and Dublin to have a serious look at the issue.
He says: “I welcome the fact that, following years of intense campaigning and lobbying by many individuals, groups and elected representatives from throughout the North West, the demand for a satellite cancer centre to be established in the North West was finally included on the formal agenda of the North/South Health Ministerial meeting which took place in Dundalk on October 5.
“Later that day, 26 County Junior Health Minister Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher acknowledged that current cancer radiation services at Belfast City Hospital are already over-subscribed and that additional capacity would be required and, as such, the viability of developing this additional capacity in a satellite cancer unit in the North West would now be investigated on a North/South departmental basis,” he said.
The Foyle MLA said the development was an indication of a “change in attitudes” from both governments.
“This change of attitude was a welcome departure from the hitherto negative responses I had received from the respective health departments, North and South, on the issue,” he explained.
‘Positive signals’
The Derry MLA - who is Sinn Fin’s regional development spokesperson in the Assembly - says he had also received “positive signals” on the issue from the North’s Minister for Health, Michael McGimpsey.
“Following the October 5 North/South Ministerial meeting, Sinn Fin submitted a priority written question to the Health Minister to ascertain whether he now shared this positive change of attitude on the issue. While his response pointed out that he was ‘not yet in a position to commit formally to the establishment of a satellite cancer centre in the North West’ at this stage, I think it is significant he is no longer ruling this development out as previously was the case,” he said.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Derry
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
