Over 95% of patients referred to University Hospital Limerick’s rapid access Breast Disease Clinic received an appointment within 10 days last year.
However, a new report from the Irish Cancer Society shows compliance rates for timely appointments at the MidWest Region’s main hospital for urgent lung and prostate clinics ranked among the lowest in the country.
The Irish Cancer Society says the data highlights shocking variation across the country in terms of accessing life-saving chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment on time.
Currently, the HSE aims to arrange an appointment for 95% of patients referred to its Urgent Symptomatic Breast Disease Clinics within 10 days.
Between the period of March 2024 to February 2025, University Hospital Limerick exceeded the compliance rate with a score of 97.7%, the third-best rating in the country.
For Urgent Lung Rapid Access Clinics, the HSE’s target is that 95% of patients referred get a first appointment within 10 days.
According to the Irish Cancer Society, UHL had the lowest compliance rate of any hospital nationwide in this regard, with 82% of patients seen within the recommended timeframe, with lows of 60% noted during the year.
The Urgent Prostate Rapid Access Clinic in Limerick, meanwhile, saw 84% of patients within 20 days, below the HSE’s target of 90%.
However, Galway University Hospital was the worst facility in the country by far in this regard, with just 12% of patients seen within the recommended referral time.
The Irish Cancer Society claims that a lack of PET scanners in the public cancer centres in Limerick and Galway is contributing to delays.
