Cancer charity chief hits out at defunct Stormont 'putting patients at risk'
The head of a cancer charity has criticised the ongoing absence of devolved government in Northern Ireland for putting patients at risk.
Cancer Focus NI CEO Richard Spratt was speaking after the latest figures showed treatment targets in the health service are continuing being missed.
Senior civil servants are currently running government departments with limited powers in the absence of locally elected ministers.
Stormont has been effectively collapsed for more than a year amid DUP protest action at post-Brexit arrangements.
The latest statistics from the Department of Health, covering January-March 2023, outline ongoing failure to meet targets for waiting times for patients accessing cancer services at hospitals.
Some 87.8% of patients commencing their first treatment for cancer did so within 31 days of a decision to treat, compared with 89.3% (2,524) in the previous quarter.
Just 34.8% of patients with an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer started treatment within 62 days, compared with 36.5% (506) in the previous quarter.
Cancer Focus Northern Ireland has said the ongoing absence of an Executive and Assembly - including a Health Minister able to take decisions - is putting cancer patients and those awaiting a diagnosis at further risk.
They said Northern Ireland's new cancer strategy, published before the Assembly's collapse last year, can only be successful through political stability, ministerial direction, and full, medium-to-long-term funding.
Mr Spratt said the latest statistics on waiting times are "deeply frustrating once again, but not surprising".
"While Cancer Focus NI and our colleagues across the sector welcomed the publication of last year's Cancer Strategy as an important milestone, we warned that it would only be a success through proper funding, political stability, and strong ministerial direction," he said.
"The ongoing absence of our political institutions at Stormont is having a major impact on public services.
"The resulting uncertainty is very worrying, particularly for third and voluntary sector partner organisations.
"The Department of Health has consistently failed to meet its own targets when it comes to cancer waiting times and lists.
"We are deeply concerned that the ongoing fiscal pressures across the public sector, combined with the turmoil within the wider health system when it comes to workforce challenges, transformation, and waiting lists, will mean that cancer patients are left even further behind."
He said quick access to your GP, early diagnosis, and starting treatment as swiftly as possible is key in terms of cancer "to improve your chances of survival and recovery".
"These latest statistics, however, prove once again that this is not happening with nearly enough people affected by cancer in Northern Ireland," he said.
"While we will continue to engage with our political representatives to support the restoration of the Executive where possible, now is the time for decisive action from our political leaders."
Meanwhile Cancer Research UK's spokesperson has also voiced concern:
Margaret Carr, Cancer Research UK’s public affairs manager in Northern Ireland, said:  
“Today’s waiting times for cancer treatment are the worst quarter on record. This is incredibly concerning as we recently warned that earlier figures for 2022 were the worst, but the situation has deteriorated even further.
“It’s unacceptable that around two thirds of people (65%) are waiting too long to get a cancer diagnosis and start their cancer treatment.
“There can be little doubt that Northern Ireland’s cancer care system is in crisis. Despite the best efforts of staff, it is a system consistently failing to keep up with demand and struggling to provide services patients require.
“These delays are causing additional anxiety for patients and their families during an already stressful time. We need urgent action. Current cancer services need investment now to provide timely access to diagnosis and treatment. Alongside that, we need to transform cancer services for the future by funding and implementing the cancer strategy. We need a fully functioning Executive back at work now to achieve both these things.
“Every day that we don’t invest in cancer services, we fall further behind and will have much further to go to achieve the vision set out in the cancer strategy.”