Inaction is putting the lives of people living with cancer at risk in Northern Ireland

Sarah adds:

“In 2016, then Health Minister Simon Hamilton welcomed Professor Rafael Bengoa to chair a panel on the future of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. In the resulting report, Systems Not Structures, Prof Bengoa highlighted a spiral of doom that would happen if things didn’t change and outlined a plan for the Executive to avoid it.

“The plan has not been enacted and eight years later the consistent downward spiral of cancer care has made his gloomy prediction a continuing reality as seen in the figures released today.

“What needs to happen to make the Executive act decisively and implement a plan to change the course of health and social care in Northern Ireland? How bad do things have to get?

“It doesn’t have to be this way. We would like to see the Executive start taking the difficult decisions needed to transform the healthcare system in Northern Ireland. Their inaction is putting the lives of people living with cancer at risk. The problems have constantly been highlighted, and we have been clearly told what needs to be done, now let’s work on actively finding the solution to implement the much-needed change for those living with cancer and those yet to be diagnosed as a matter of urgency.

“If you or someone you love is affected by cancer, we’re here, whatever you need to ask. Call Macmillan’s free support line on 0808 808 00 00, open every day 8am to 8pm.”

• The data suggests that all three national cancer waiting times targets in Northern Ireland were missed again in April to June 2024, showing that cancer services in Northern Ireland are still struggling under intense pressure. In April to June 2024, around one in three people (36%) with cancer started treatment within 62 days of an urgent GP referral[1]
• For some cancer types, performance is extremely concerning. For example, in April to June 2024, according to the data available just 13% of people with lower gastrointestinal cancer started treatment within two months of an urgent referral for suspected cancer[2]
• Macmillan’s previous analysis suggests that 2023 was a new worst year on record for one of the two main cancer waiting times targets in Northern Ireland (the 62-day target), and the second worst year on record for the other (31-day target). In 2023 at least 1,200 people with cancer in Northern Ireland waited more than a month to start treatment following the clinical decision to do so, and at least 3,400 waited more than two months to start treatment following an urgent referral for suspected cancer[3]
• Other recent analysis by Macmillan shows one-year cancer survival rates in Northern Ireland are lagging up to 15 years behind other European countries[4]