New Bon Secours Cork cancer centre opens

THE multi-million euro Bon Secours’ Cork cancer centre opened this week providing the most technologically advanced radiotherapy services in the south of the country.

The centre offers integrated cancer care, including  screening, diagnosis and treatment under the one roof. It features an innovative onsite pharmacy compounding unit, which enables preparation of specifically tailored chemotherapy for individual patients.

It means patients now have access to advanced radiotherapy services that were previously unavailable in the region. This includes stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), a non-surgical radiation therapy that uses concentrated radiation beams in high doses to destroy tumours in hard-to-reach areas of the body, while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

About 50 new jobs have also been created with the opening. Minister of State at the Department of Health Jim Daly TD opened the centre, marking the completion of a €77m expansion of the hospital. Work is continuing on the wider €150m redevelopment of the hospital which also includes 81 private rooms, four additional operating theatres, a new 23-bed day infusion ward and a new critical care unit.

Minister Daly said: ‘This is a very positive development for Cork and the wider Munster region, with patients locally, who previously would have had to travel to Dublin for advanced radiotherapy services, now able to receive this critical care closer to home.’

Harry Canning, hospital manager added: ‘These advanced cancer services have been complemented by a wider expansion of our healthcare services, which we are delighted to say are covered by all major medical health insurers in the Irish market. This extensive development is a huge milestone for healthcare in the Munster region and is a very exciting time for Bon Secours Hospital Cork.’