Almost all of NI's cancer waiting time targets missed in last quarter

Almost all of Northern Ireland's cancer waiting time targets were missed in the last quarter.

The latest figures show just over 55 percent of patients who had an urgent referral by their GP in December started treatment within the 62 day target.

During December 2020, 792 patients commenced their first treatment for cancer following a decision to treat being taken.

Of these, 93.4% started treatment within 31 days, compared with 93.1% in November, 96.6% in October and 93.7% in December 2019.

Dervilia Kernaghan from Cancer Focus NI says the figures released today are deeply concerning:

"We fully appreciate how hard everyone in our health service has worked in a very stretched system.

"The re-orientation of the healthcare service though has come at a cost to planned and scheduled care, especially cancer services."

Health Minister Robin Swann says his department is working tirelessly to address the issue:

He stated: "Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, our Health and Social Care Trusts worked tirelessly to try to protect and maintain cancer services as much as was possible. In addition, given the major impact Covid-19 had on the health service operating capacity, the HSC secured significant additional theatre capacity from the three local independent sector hospitals to treat the most urgent and time critical patients, ie those with confirmed or suspected cancer. From April last year to February this year that ensured a further 4,500 patients had their crucially important procedures undertaken.

"Yet there is sadly no doubt Covid has still had an impact on patients living with cancer and their families. Improving cancer waiting times will be a major priority for me as Minister.

"The pandemic has exacerbated already unacceptable waiting times as specialist staff, beds and critical care services were redirected to ensure that there were sufficient intensive care beds for all those who needed this care – Covid and non-Covid patients alike.

"Cancer services were challenged before the pandemic with unacceptable waiting times and significant capacity and workforce challenges across a range of areas.

"Officials are currently finalising a Cancer Recovery Plan to address the immediate issues in cancer services with the aim of getting us to a place where services are stronger than before; and to ensure that the delivery of cancer services is resilient to potential future surges of Covid-19 and to the projected increase in cases of cancer. The actions in the recovery plan will also be fully aligned with priorities in the draft Northern Ireland Cancer Strategy.

"I have already introduced a regional process to ensure that cancer surgery will be delivered on the basis of clinical need , making best use of all available theatre capacity across the province.

“As part of the wider recovery plan for Northern Ireland, we are developing green pathways (Covid-free areas or buildings) for non-Covid-19 care.

"Plans are underway to increase capacity to address backlogs in screening, diagnostic and treatment services as a consequence of the impact of Covid-19. In addition to supporting additional in house capacity within the HSC, we are planning to provide additional diagnostic and surgical capacity through the independent sector and other UK and RoI providers.

"The costs of delivering the recovery plan, together with the need to reduce waiting times for diagnosis and treatment, are substantial. I have said before but it is worth repeating that significant recurrent investment is required to support the service to address waiting times and to prepare for the new pressures that we know are coming in terms of growth in demand and the particular care and support needs of those patients who are likely to be diagnosed later as a consequence of the impact of Covid-19 on cancer referrals and care pathways."