NI patients waiting beyond target times for cancer treatment
Charity calls for new strategy to tackle No 1 killer
Nearly a third of patients needing treatment after being urgently referred for cancer in Northern Ireland, are waiting beyond health service targets, it emerged today.
Shock new figures show that in December just 68.6% (232) patients here began treatment within 62 days – in breach of the ministerial target of 95%.
It means more than 100 patients are not receiving treatment when they should.
Cancer Research UK says “a consistent inability” to meet targets shows cancer services here are “failing some patients.”
The charity’s Margaret Carr said: “Every extra day of waiting is stacking the odds in cancer’s favour.
“Cancer is the leading cause of death in Northern Ireland. The lives of patients depend on swift, efficient and effective access to cancer services. Every extra day of waiting is stacking the odds in cancer’s favour.
“Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK without an up-to-date cancer strategy. With the number of people being diagnosed with cancer rising, a strategy on how the Health Service in Northern Ireland will cope with increased demand is more urgently needed than ever.”
The statistics show further that there have been breaches in other waiting time areas.
Over 100 patients needing to see a specialist for a first assessment after being urgently referred for suspected breast cancer did not have this appointment within the 14-day target in December.
In one trust, the Southern, just 39% of patients were seen by a breast cancer specialist inside target which states every patient must be seen within this period.
Elsewhere, just over 96% of patients began first treatment for cancer within 31 days – the target is 98%.
Ulster Unionist health spokesperson Roy Beggs said: “Whilst it is clearly a failure of policy that not one of the three cancer targets have been met at any stage over any of the last three months, the bigger tragedy is what this means for the patients concerned.”
Today’s figures have been published by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. To view them, visit: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/northern-ireland-waiting-time-statistics-cancer-waiting-times-october-december-2016