by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent
A SPOKESPERSON for the National Cancer Screening
Services has suggested that the National BreastCheck
programme will be rolled out in the North West
within the first quarter of 2009 it emerged
yesterday.
According to Noelle Duddy, spokesperson for
Co-operating for Cancer Care NorthWest (CCCNW), the
CEO of the National Cancer Screening Services Tony
O’Brien said he is confident that the service will
be in operation early next year. A delegation from
CCCNW travelled to Dublin to meet with officials
from the national Cancer Screening Services and
according to Noelle Duddy, the meeting was “very
positive.”
“Mr. O’Brien did not wish to commit to a particular
location but was confident that the service would be
in operation in the first quarter of 2009 in the
north-west.”
The CCCNW spokesperson said it was evident that the
National Cancer Screening Services did not want to
compromise on quality to implement the service in
the region.
“It is very encouraging that they were adamant that
they would not compromise on their high standards
because that will ensure that the service when it
comes will be the best possible,” she said.
She also said that following the discussions
yesterday the local group was confident that the
National Screening Services had overcome the
difficulty of securing a mammographer for the
north-west and were in the process of recruiting
others.
The CCCNW group said they had outlined to Mr.
O’Brien that women in the north west continued to
feel anxious about the lack of service in the
region.
“We informed him that they are frightened rather
than relieved when they hear about the success of
BreastCheck in screened areas because they are not
part of this success story, they are not getting
access to this potentially life-saving screening
service.”
Suggesting that their comments and concerns had been
taken on board, the CCCNW spokesperson said that
with 2009 now just a matter of weeks away, it was
extremely positive that the programme could be
rolled out in the north-west within a few months.
In the meantime however she urged women who had
concerns or who showed any symptoms in advance of
the roll-out of the service to contact their GP
immediately. |
