It has been revealed to Ulster Unionist MLA Michael McGimpsey that in 2015, of the suspected breast cancer patients in the Belfast Trust who were not seen within the target of 14 days, 121 were subsequently given a breast cancer diagnosis.
Michael McGimpsey said:
“The Ministerial Target on waiting times for a first assessment with a breast cancer specialist is that all urgent breast cancer referrals should be seen within 14 days. It is quite frightening however, that in December last year, only 49% of urgent referrals were seen within 14 days. In addition there is an unacceptable degree of variation across each of the Health Trusts, with only 11% of referrals being seen on time in the Northern Trust area and 24% in the Belfast Trust area.
“I am outraged to have been told by Simon Hamilton in response to an Assembly Question, that in the Belfast Trust last year, 121 people were not seen on time and were later diagnosed with breast cancer.
“The tone of his response was unhelpful, given the crisis that is quite clearly impacting on cancer services right across Northern Ireland.
“Targets are set for cancer treatment because there is very sound medical evidence that proves the longer a patient has to wait for treatment, the greater the risk that they may ultimately come to harm. Cancer is a vicious disease that thrives during any avoidable delay in treatment.”