‘Unacceptable’ people are still waiting too long

It is “unacceptable” that people are still waiting too long for a cancer diagnosis and treatment in Northern Ireland, which is causing “real distress,” a charity has said.

Liz Morrison, public affairs manager for Cancer Research UK in Northern Ireland, said for some the long waits mean patients may miss opportunities for some treatments, or become too sick to receive them, which can lead to poorer survival.

Between April to June 2025, about 840 patients (67%) waited longer than 62 days to start treatment for cancer following an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer, new figures show.

“Performance against these targets in Northern Ireland is by far the worst in the UK,” said Ms Morrison.

“It’s essential we start to see progress on meeting cancer waiting time targets which are missed time and time again,” she added.

The latest statistics are published by the Northern Ireland Department of Health.

Ms Morrison urged the Department of Health to make “cancer waits a clear priority” following the appointment of a new lead to tackle waiting lists.

Senior surgeon Prof Mark Taylor was appointed as the Clinical Director for Elective Care in July as lists have reached an all-time high.

All health trusts missed the target for the quarter.

The target set by the Department of Health is that at least 95% of patients with an urgent referral for suspicion of cancer must start treatment within 62 days.

The 62 day target includes time for tests to diagnose cancer, including imaging, endoscopy and pathology tests.

This target has not been met since it was introduced in 2008.

The Department of Health has said due to encompass, Northern Ireland’s new patient record system, it is unable to provide a complete picture for validated breast cancer referrals for certain quarters.