DERRY JOURNAL Editorial: Lengthening waits raise breast cancer red flag alert
Derry breast cancer patients have for years benefitted from the premier service in the North.
Each quarter without fail the WHSCT posted the highest percentage of breast cancer patients starting treatment within 14 days of an urgent referral.
Last September Mike Nesbitt announced a new regional waiting list system for breast cancer assessment.
The service was to be coordinated by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust from the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald.
‘Red flag’ patients were to be offered appointments at Altnagelvin, Antrim Area, Belfast City, Craigavon or the Ulster Hospital according to need.
It was, said Mr. Nesbitt, to address ‘disparities in waiting times’ between different Trusts. It went live on May 8.
Cancer waiting times statistics for April to June 2025 will not be available until late September so ‘officially’ we don’t yet know the impact.
The auguries are not good. SDLP MLA Mark Durkan warns ‘red flag’ patients are now waiting nine weeks for an appointment with fears this could stretch to 12 by late September.
Mr. Nesbitt said he was making the changes due to ‘disparities in waiting times between different Trust areas’.
What? The far better outcomes in the Western Trust under the old system?
And the new system is only the first phase of a wider review of breast cancer services announced by Mr. Nesbitt last September.
Stormont returns on September 8 after its ten week break and there are pressing questions.