A charity has warned that the latest cancer waiting times are at “crisis-level” with “delays rampant” across Northern Ireland.
Cancer Focus NI also warned that waiting times for those diagnosed with breast cancer are “among the worst on record”.
It comes after the publication of the latest cancer waiting times from the Department of Health on Thursday.
Figures show around 580 patients waited longer than 62 days to start treatment following an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer – just 35.8% of patients began treatment within the target.
The statistics also reveal that the performance during the last quarter (April – June 2024) was the sixth worst on record (since April 2008).
According to department targets, 95% of patients should begin treatment within 62 days after an urgent GP referral.
At least 98% of patients diagnosed with cancer should receive their first definitive treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat.
The statistics reveal 91.4% of patients started treatment within the 31-day deadline, compared to 91.9% in the same quarter last year.
The figures relate to the Northern, South Eastern, Southern, and Western Trust hospitals from April to June 2024.
The Belfast Trust figures were not included in light of its new digital record system, Encompass, being rolled out in June and subsequent data validation delays.
All of the health trusts that provided data in this quarter missed the target.
Just 30.7% of patients were seen by a breast cancer specialist within 14 days of their GP urgent referral, compared to 38.6% in the previous quarter.
For the same period in 2023 the figure was 62.4%.
The ministerial target states that all urgent breast cancer referrals should be seen within 14 days.
The latest figures come a day after Health Minister Mike Nesbitt introduced a regional waiting list for breast cancer assessment in response to “unacceptable waiting times”.
The initiative will enable women to access the earliest appointment available anywhere in the north.
But Cancer Focus NI said it is “another quarter of crisis-level waiting times”.
Pat McClelland, a nurse and director of services at the charity, said: “In the past 15 months, breast cancer waiting times have plummeted, to the point that we are now in a position where our Trusts are seeing less than half of the women they were seeing at the start of last year within the desired timeline.
“For patients and their families, these long waits are incredibly stressful, both when waiting on investigation for a suspect cancer and even more so when waiting on treatment commencing.
“In light of these unacceptable delays and inequalities between the trusts, we welcome the Department of Health’s announcement yesterday of new initiatives for breast cancer services.
“We are relieved to see the department recognise the significant need to address the delays and encouraged to see action getting underway.”
