Paul Carroll

It is with some reluctance and no little sadness that I announce my resignation as an Upper GI Cancer Surgeon in Galway University Hospital effective May 17th. After coming home to Ireland from Toronto, with assurances and guarantees, I spent 5years building a Minimally Invasive Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer Programme with the support of Profs. Collins and McAnena. This service also included the only site in Ireland providing Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) and the only surgeon delivered Endoscopic Ultrasound/Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection programme for early Esophageal and Gastric cancers. There will now be no one in the entire west/northwest of Ireland performing these types of cancer surgeries in their minimally invasive forms. I love what I do. It has been a privilege to be invited to care for people with some of the worst types of cancers. I am grateful for the amazing nurses and allied heathcare teams that I have worked with to care for my patients. I will be moving to Sligo to work as a General Surgeon. I will not be permitted to treat the cancers I have spent 15years training towards and 5years practising as a Consultant Surgeon. This is my choice so I can be home with my family. Temporary solutions in Galway have been explored but in reality they kick the can down the road and they don’t solve the systemic issues. I have no answers as to what happens next for Upper GI Cancer Care in the west and this saddens me. Any inquiries need to be directed to hospital management. #HSE #GalwayUniversityHospital

There needs to be a northwest corridor. A lot of Donegal people travel to Galway for medical care. The drive is 4.5hr and challenging in parts. A rail link would make a lot of sense.

Great development. Congrats.

Well Done to GUH Cancer Services. Let’s push on and get the Cancer Centre built.

Stark evidence highlighting the enduring under resourcing of west of Ireland hospitals.

Congratulations Meadhbh. @GalwaySurgery

Great work Francis.

This impacts those of us and our colleagues who provide onerous rotas in subspecialities or in rural/level 3 hospitals where staffing level@is much tighter compared to some model 4hospitals. Same salaries for much different work hours.

Brilliant work from CTS Galway.

Was introduced to the intricacies of my father in law’s septic tank at weekend. My dreams of a country pile are well and truly quashed.

And that’s how you retain/attract staff @HSELive. A sincere thank you with a promise of delivery of better resources.

When your senior colleagues and Professors say they had spoken to him about a case(Ireland-US) you knew that Prof Brennan was the pinnacle of surgical oncology. Those pearls are gold dust.