Calls for further BreastCheck units in Donegal to deal with the screening backlog

Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, has called on the Government to keep BreastCheck in Donegal Town permanently.

He is also asking that a BreastCheck unit be put into Buncrana.

Addressing the Dáil during statements on Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Deputy Pringle said: “It is incredibly alarming that due to Covid-19 the screening programme for breast cancer is almost a year behind.

“In my own constituency of Donegal, the number of women waiting for breast cancer screening has risen to 6,800, according to new figures from the HSE. This is an absolutely shocking figure.” 

The Donegal TD stressed that significant funding needed to be provided urgently to deal with the backlogs.

He added: “If we are to properly ensure early detection, the screening programme needs to be expanded to include those under 50 as well as over 70.”

Deputy Pringle also called for the issue of long journeys across the county for these checks to be addressed.

“There were incidents lately of women from Inishowen being sent to Donegal Town for BreastCheck appointments and for those who don’t know the geography of Donegal, that’s over an hour and a half away,” he said.

“At the very least you would be travelling three hours for your BreastCheck appointment, and that’s for those with cars because there are no bus services or alternative transport available.” 

Deputy Pringle thanked Betty Holmes, Chair of Donegal Action for Cancer Care, for raising and helping to rectify this issue.

“When BreastCheck was being rolled out initially, we in Donegal had been left to the back of the queue as usual,” he said.

 When the first check had been rolled out for Donegal women, women in the east of the country were already getting their second and in some cases their third cycle of the check.”

He said that women went ahead and organised a bus from Donegal to Belfast to get checked and at least three cancers were detected at that time.

Deputy Pringle said: “The women of Donegal have been completely left behind once again, and in order to address this I would call on the Government, and particularly Minister McConalogue, to stay true to his word, and put a BreastCheck unit into Buncrana. 

“I would love to see a national roll-out start in Donegal for once, and then we might get fair treatment once and for all.”

The TD called on the HSE to keep the BreastCheck unit in Donegal Town permanently, saying it was vitally important.

“BreastCheck services save lives and there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

“ And this Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I would urge the government to do all they can to prioritise breast cancer services.”

Deputy Pringle concluded his Dáil comments by saying: “I would like to take a moment to acknowledge all those diagnosed with breast cancer, all those undergoing treatment at the moment, the family members and friends of those affected, the breast cancer survivors, the doctors and nurses who do such a great job to assist those affected, especially over the course of the pandemic.”