Debate contribution: Cancer Services and Outcomes

Debate contribution by Mr Philip McGuigan on 18 November 2025.

MLA

Mr Philip McGuigan

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

18 November 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Cancer Services and Outcomes

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5244882

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I thank the Members opposite for tabling the motion. We had a similar discussion on cancer waiting times in May, but this is such an important issue that it is right that we keep a focus on it until such times as the shocking figures improve and cancer patients in the North get better outcomes. The statistics and impacts for cancer patients in the North are truly shocking and are well outside clinically safe standards. I do not want to use all of my 10 minutes reeling off statistics, but some are worth highlighting. In the quarter from April to June 2025, 67% of patients waited longer than the desired 62 days to start treatment for cancer following an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer. That is two out of every three patients waiting longer than they should. While performance on the 31-days-to-treatment target appears better, I am mindful that that is 31 days not from diagnosis but from the decision to treat. More imaging, biopsies etc may need to be completed before a decision to treat is made, and it is important to understand whether there are additional delays at that point. In the quarter ending June 2025, 1,947 patients were seen by a breast cancer specialist following an urgent referral for suspected breast cancer in the Belfast, Northern and South Eastern Trusts. Of those, only 6·6 patients were seen within 14 days of their urgent referral for breast cancer. That is a truly shocking figure. As I have said in similar debates, the statistics are shocking, but they account for real people: our friends and family members. The delays that those people face, either for diagnosis or treatment, impact directly on their outcomes, their quality of life and, indeed, their chances of survival. Whilst the information that we have available paints a dire picture, what we do not know might make it worse. For example, we do not know how much longer than 62 days patients ended up waiting for treatment. Additionally, the 62-day target measures red-flag referrals, but not all patients are diagnosed via that route. Some come through A&E; some come through screening; and others come through secondary care appointments. How long are they waiting for treatment, and why are they not counted? Additional data is required, and further questions need to be asked. I completely concur with the questions that Diane has asked. The Minister may not be able to provide answers this evening, but, further to those questions, I ask whether the size of the backlog in each trust for each speciality could be published, as well as the average and longest waiting time. I also want to ask whether a region- and trust-specific demand/capacity analysis has been done in order to understand the extent of the problem. With regard to the amendment, we feel that, while tackling capacity and reforming elective care are essential to addressing the waiting times crisis, we must also fully harness the potential for cross-border cancer care collaboration. Doing so can expand access to clinical trials, strengthen diagnostic capacity, enhance research quality and innovation and create more integrated treatment pathways, all of which can contribute directly to improved patient outcomes and survival rates. The Good Friday Agreement recognised that cancer is a shared challenge. The memorandum of understanding on cancer research and cancer care between the North, the South and the US National Cancer Institute, which was agreed a year after the signing of the agreement, has led not only to greater and more impactful collaboration on the quantity and quality of research outputs but to over 40,000 patients being involved in cancer clinical trials, potentially saving thousands of lives. Building on that consortium, the All-Island Cancer Research Institute has brought together 10 universities on the island of Ireland to work together to develop a framework for cancer research and share expertise across the island. Given our small population, the case for working collaboratively on an all-Ireland basis is clear. Many clinical trials require large numbers of eligible patients, so that is particularly important for people with rare cancers. Joint infrastructure reduces duplication, cuts costs and allows for the more effective use of resources. Shared training opportunities and access to specialist expertise could strengthen capacity across the system. We have already seen the success of cross-border radiotherapy provision in the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital, where patients from Donegal have been receiving timely treatment close to home. Access to life-saving healthcare should not be determined by the boundaries of the system; patients should be able to access their closest facility. I commend Cancer Research and all the other cancer organisations for their ongoing efforts to highlight the impact of delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment. As I said, it is important to remember, in this debate and in all debates, that the figures that we are discussing are not just statistics but equate to real people whose lives are placed at greater risk because our system is failing to treat cancer with the urgency that it demands. Any delay in diagnosis or treatment has the potential to impact on physical and mental health. We are acutely aware of the importance of catching and treating cancer earlier in order to improve outcomes. Awareness-raising campaigns that encourage us all to be alert to early indications of certain types of cancer have been effective, and opportunities for screening people without symptoms continue to grow. There is no doubt that they have helped to save lives, so it is important that they are followed up with timely intervention. We are now into the third year of a 10-year cancer strategy. Progress is happening, but it is nowhere near fast enough. We need to see the Minister building on the recommendations in that strategy, which has a key role in improving diagnostics, treatment options and, ultimately, patient outcomes.

We also need to see the publication of the cancer research strategy. In his response, the Minister will hopefully advise us on where that is at. We need a dynamic, responsive cancer research strategy. It is essential if we are to reverse the trends that we are confronted with today.

It is important that the issues identified in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report about the condition of imaging equipment, including MRI and CT scanners, be fully resolved. Reliable, modern imaging systems are a critical component of any effective diagnostic pathway. Where improvements in reducing waiting times are being made, however, they should be acknowledged. Progress is being made as a result of the rapid diagnostic centre and the mega-clinics. I welcome the additional £10 million that has been allocated to mega-clinics and the commitment to invest in red-flag and time-critical services, in capacity building and in clearing the backlog. There is still a long way to go, however, and patients cannot continue to be failed.

1,149 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:02 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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