Improvements to local breast cancer services welcomed

Improvements in breast cancer services locally were welcomed at a recent HSE West Regional Health Forum.

Galway County Councillor Dr Evelyn Francis Parsons asked what the current waiting times were for patients with suspected breast cancer in the HSE West region, covering counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon?

In response, the HSE said in May, 422 patients were triaged as urgent and 380 attended or were offered an appointment to attend the Symptomatic Breast Unit within 10 working days of the receipt of the referral, a 90 per cent compliance rate. There were 43 urgent patients on the waiting list, and compliance was likely to be 100 per cent for the month of June.

“Insourcing initiatives have provided additional capacity, which are in place until the end of June 2026. There are no further initiative clinics planned at present. This additional capacity has allowed us to improve compliance with targets in relation to the number of patient referrals received and seen. The compliance rate for 2025 was 26%,” the HSE said.

Cllr Parsons welcomed that there was 90 per cent compliance in May, acknowledging the improvement on the same time last year and praising staff for their hard work.

“There is substantial improvement with the performance,” she said. “That improvement has been supported by the temporary insourcing initiatives, and that raises some concerns about sustainability. Can we rely indefinitely on temporary interventions for cancer services? Patients need to have confidence that improvements achieved will continue.” 

The councillor said that early diagnosis and treatment remain very important for positive outcomes in breast cancer, and she asked whether current staffing levels were sufficient to sustain the improvements?

Hospital manager, Galway University Hospitals, Chris Kane said that a lot of effort had been put in by the staff to meet the increased demand, and she acknowledged the help the temporary initiatives had achieved.

“We have sought extensions in some specific, high risk areas. We’re not sure if those extensions will be forthcoming. Those discussions are ongoing,” she said.

In terms of staff improvements, she added that a breast surgeon post had been filled. Theatre access could be a challenge but breast cancer procedures were always prioritised, Ms Kane said.