New cancer chief appointed

Dr Susan O'Reilly has been appointed as the new Director of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).

Dr O'Reilly succeeds Prof Tom Keane in the post.

Like Prof Keane, Dr O'Reilly works with the British Columbia Cancer Agency in Canada, where she is Vice-President of Cancer Care.

In this role she is responsible for strategy, financial planning and delivery of both medical and operational components of all programmes for cancer patients in five cancer agency centres.

Dr O'Reilly, who grew up Wales, is also Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of British Columbia. She completed her medical degree at Trinity College Dublin and having done her early training in a number of Dublin hospitals, moved to Canada to specialise in oncology.

She will take up her new post in September.

Prof Keane recently returned to Canada having completed his term as head of the NCCP.

Although he was hotly tipped to take over from Prof Brendan Drumm as CEO of the HSE, he pulled out of the race in March.

Last Friday, the HSE announced that Cathal Magee, formerly of Eircom, is to take up the CEO post in September.

[Posted: Tue 01/06/2010]