Lack of political leadership in Northern Ireland sees bowel cancer services put at risk
Tuesday 11 July 2023
Every week in Northern Ireland, on average 23 people will be diagnosed with bowel cancer and nine people will die from the disease. It's the second biggest cancer killer in the country and fourth most common cancer.
The latest cancer waiting times published on Thursday 29 June 2023 continue to demonstrate the downward spiral of the healthcare system in Northern Ireland. Over four years ago the country's ministers set the joint highest target in the UK for 95% of people to start treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral. However, over the period of January to March 2023 on average only 19% of bowel cancer patients began treatment within the target, with figures dropping as low as 9% in January, which is the worst ever performance recorded in Northern Ireland and the lowest across the UK nations.
Ninety-five percent of bowel cancer patients should begin treatment within 31 days of receiving a diagnosis and figures for January to March show that target has been reached. What we're seeing is that too many people are waiting to be diagnosed for bowel cancer, but once they're diagnosed, they start treatment quickly.
Bowel cancer is treatable and curable, especially if diagnosed early, so these delays in diagnosis are quite simply unacceptable.
Earlier diagnosis is key to saving lives and the longer people wait to receive a diagnosis and start treatment, the greater risk they face of poorer outcomes.
The diagnostic bottleneck we see through the 62-day waiting times data is down to insufficient workforce capacity and equipment and does not reflect commitments made within the Cancer Strategy for Northern Ireland.
The Health Department, in the absence of a functioning devolved Assembly, is managed by civil servants who are essentially 'gatekeepers' with limited powers to develop and implement policies outside what's previously been agreed with ministers. Civil servants within the Department of Health are doing everything they possibly can to keep services functioning, but they have one hand tied behind their backs due to the political stalemate at Stormont. This is a situation that was never sustainable, and this data is further proof that cross-party political leadership is needed now to improve bowel cancer services.
Awaiting diagnosis of cancer can be stressful and cause distress not only for the patient but also for their family. Research indicates that 73% of people living with cancer can experience poor mental health, predominantly worry, fear, anxiety, sadness, depression, and loss of confidence. The poor performance in bowel cancer diagnosis in Northern Ireland needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. NHS staff are doing their absolute best to deliver a high-quality service; however, they're facing an uphill battle given the current lack of political support.
The poor performance in bowel cancer diagnosis and treatment in Northern Ireland needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. NHS staff are doing their absolute best to deliver a high-quality service. However, they're facing an uphill battle given the current lack of political support. Earlier diagnosis is key to saving lives and the longer people wait to receive a diagnosis and start treatment, the greater risk they face of poorer outcomes.
Bowel cancer waiting times in Northern Ireland must be given the priority patients and their families deserve. The absence of political guidance, the lack of accountability, no clear responsibility and the poor performance in cancer diagnosis must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
We're calling for:
- The immediate restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and appointment of a Minister of Health and Social Services
- A sufficient number of appropriately trained staff to deliver cancer services
- The screening age range in Northern Ireland to be reduced to a minimum age of 50 years in line with NICE recommendations
- The screening threshold in Northern Ireland to be reduced to initially align with Scotland (80µg HB per g of faeces), with the ultimate objective of reflecting NICE recommendations of 20µg HB per g of faeces
- Pathways to be developed to ensure that all people diagnosed with bowel cancer are provided with mental health support
The health care system in Northern Ireland is broken. We all need to work together to improve outcomes for bowel cancer patients but the biggest barrier at present is political.
Enough is enough, Northern Ireland needs its Executive.
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