WHSCT breast cancer referral statistics not yet available for period after new model
Breast cancer referral waiting times for the Western Trust have not been included in the latest quarterly data published by the Department for Health.
The Department of Health said breast cancer referral data for the Trust was not available due to the relatively recent introduction of the new digital record system ‘encompass’.
The Western Trust has routinely posted the highest percentage of breast cancer patients starting treatment within 14 days of an urgent referral.
However, during the summer SDLP MLA Mark H. Durkan claimed red flag appointments, which previously averaged a two-week wait locally, had stretched ‘to at least nine weeks’.
Mr. Durkan claimed that this was related to the introduction of a new regionalised breast cancer system on May 8, 2025.
The latest quarterly statistics are the first to have been published since both the introduction of the new centralised breast cancer system and the ‘encompass’ system, which were introduced on the same day in the Western Trust.
Releasing the data for April, May and June, DoH said: “On November 9, 2023 the South Eastern Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust launched ‘encompass’ - a new electronic patient record system.
"The system also went live in Belfast Trust on June 6, 2024, in Northern Trust on November 7, 2024, and in Southern and Western Trusts on May 8, 2025.
"Given the relatively recent transition of Southern and Western Trusts, validated breast cancer referrals data for these Trusts were not available at the time of publication.
"Validated data for Belfast Trust for quarter ending June 2024, and breast cancer referrals data for this Trust for quarter ending September 2024, are also not currently available.”