Cancer: warning that a current crisis in services in Northern Ireland could get even worse

A top cancer charity warned today (Thursday) of a potential deepening crisis in the service in Northern Ireland.

Cancer Research UK told Downtown Radio & Cool FM that things needed to significantly improve for patients.

Barbara Roulston, public affairs manager in Northern Ireland, said: "I think our fears are that the situation which is already bad will deteriorate even further and will see the crisis facing cancer services, just getting even worse."

The charity urged more to be done to ensure patients get quicker access to diagnosis and treatment.

"The waiting lists are really bad and the fact of the matter is that far too many people are waiting too long to find out whether they have a cancer diagnosis or not," Barbara added.

"That is really not acceptable because we know that a matter of weeks can be enough for some cancers to progress.

"Getting that early diagnosis is really critical."

Barbara said investment in the services was crucial and she pointed to years of "chronic workforce shortages" and a lack of specialist equipment which meant the system simply could not cope.

"It's just crucial that patients are diagnosed at an early stage, when more and often kinder treatments are available and are more likely to be successful," she said.

"For example, in Northern Ireland, more than nine in 10 people diagnosed with bowel cancer at the earliest stage will survive for five years or more, compared with one in 10 if they're diagnosed at a later stage.

"So that just really points to how important it is for it to get an early diagnosis."

The charity has been calling the urgent implication of the cancer strategy and Barbara was clear about what needed to happen now.

Calling for the restoration of Stormont, she said : "We need an executive, a fully functioning and executive, to fund and implement the cancer strategy.

"We need them back at work now."