Debate contribution: Cancer Services and Outcomes

Debate contribution by Ms Diane Forsythe on 18 November 2025.

MLA

Ms Diane Forsythe

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

18 November 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Cancer Services and Outcomes

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5244910

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Sadly, cancer touches the lives of most people in Northern Ireland in some form. One in two of us will have cancer in our lifetime. Cancer services are essential. There are many amazing healthcare staff and voluntary and community sector organisations that provide a range of care and support. The excellent work that is going on does not, however, hide the fact that we must see transformation in cancer outcomes and stabilisation in cancer waiting times. The people who are waiting for cancer referrals and treatment are people we know, anxiously waiting for answers and clarity on what is happening to their body. The issues span a wide range. We do not have a high enough awareness of various types of cancers and their symptoms, of what to look out for or of what screening is available. Our motion highlights the fact that, in Northern Ireland, we have the lowest one-year pancreatic and ovarian cancer survival rate in the UK, which is horrifying. A former colleague of mine, Stephen McCormick, recently lost his wife, Julie, to ovarian cancer. Ever since then, he has campaigned tirelessly, in memory of his Julie, to raise awareness among others of the symptoms. Often, as with many women's health issues, the concerns are not well known, and the issues are cast aside, put down to other things and not taken seriously. It is so important to raise awareness in order to help to increase early detection and to improve outcomes for patients. It is truly horrifying that 31% of women in Northern Ireland who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer will not survive a year. Awareness of breast cancer is also somewhat lacking. As screening is not in place in the NHS for women until they are 50, it is a common misconception that it is a disease of older women. That is completely wrong, and awareness of how to check for lumps needs to be increased. My colleague Joanne Bunting MLA has spoken out strongly and shared her experience to raise awareness and encourage women to check. A neighbour of mine, in my constituency, Natalie Charleton, spoke out so bravely about her experiences this year. As a young mum of two in her mid-30s, she had a shock breast cancer diagnosis this year, resulting in surgery and treatment. Natalie has been a huge factor in raising awareness of breast cancer in the Mournes area. She had the Action Cancer Big Bus out to Ballymartin today, such is her dedication to raising awareness and helping others. She is truly inspiring. We hear so many stories of individuals raising awareness through their experiences and of local charities from throughout the voluntary and community sector providing many of the services and support. That is all so welcome, but we need to see more from our central Department of Health in leading the way. As well as increasing awareness, we need to acknowledge some of the barriers to accessing GPs in Northern Ireland, which the Audit Office has reported on. We have a live inquiry in the Public Accounts Committee in which there has been huge public interest. People cannot access their GP to raise their concerns and symptoms. They cannot get into the system to begin with to even get a diagnosis or an initial referral. Some will give up trying to get that appointment, and those who do face further delays. As Diane Dodds outlined, the Department of Health has set a target that at least 95% of patients with an urgent referral for suspicion of cancer must start treatment within 62 days. That 62-days-to-treatment target has never been met, and performance continues to decline. That is terrible. Constituents regularly get in touch with me in absolute despair about that. A four-week delay in cancer treatment is associated with increased mortality, and every four-week delay in surgery results in a 6% to 8% increased risk of death. The numbers are horrific. As it has been said, they are not just numbers; they are people's lives. They are people whom we know and love. Sometimes, they are even ourselves. Northern Ireland lags behind other nations. Are we now so numb to such shocking statistics that they pass us by, or have we decided that that is just the way it is? Too many patients wait too long for diagnosis and treatment. The Assembly must do better. We need to hear answers from the Minister on how he will proceed. Northern Ireland needs cancer waiting times stabilisation and a recovery plan that learns from what other regions of the United Kingdom have done to turn this around. Everyone in the Chamber will be united in wanting all cancer patients in Northern Ireland to have the highest quality of treatment and outcomes. Cancer services in Northern Ireland need to improve. People deserve better.

803 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

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.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification