Ulster Unionist Party Health Spokesperson Jo-Anne Dobson MLA has warned that the decision to establish a Specialist Medicines Fund must not deflect attention from tackling the wider crisis in cancer waiting times.
Jo-Anne Dobson said:
“I welcome the long overdue acknowledgement from the Minister that it is hugely unfair that many people spend their last month’s struggling to pay for life-saving or live-prolonging medicines that are available in other regions across the UK.
“This is an issue I have repeatedly raised with the Minister and will be doing so once again on Wednesday in the Health Committee at Stormont.
“A new Specialist Medicines Fund could bring some hope to patients; however responding directly to the Minister in the Assembly Chamber I warned him that his priority at this time should not be reintroducing prescription charges but instead getting to grips with the crisis in cancer treatment times.
“For instance the target for patients receiving their first treatment following an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer is 95 per cent within 62 days. The latest official figures show than only 64.5% started treatment in that time. The crisis is particularly acute with urology cancer services.
“Early diagnosis and treatment is absolutely central to improving patient outcomes so it is sickening that there are people possibly losing their lives as a result of avoidable or preventable delays in the health service.”