Immediate action needed over next 6 months to prioritise clearing cancer care backlogs – Burke

The HSE and Government must focus their resources on implementing practicable measures to clear the significant cancer diagnostic and treatment backlog over the next six months, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Fine Gael Spokesperson for Health, Deputy Colm Burke, was speaking after a presentation made to the Joint Committee on Health by the Irish Hospitals Consultants Association (ICHA), The Irish Medical Organisation, and the Irish Cancer Society. Representatives from each of the organisations expressed serious concerns in respect of the cancer care backlog which has arisen from the pandemic and the HSE cyber-attack.

Deputy Burke said, “While the Covid-19 pandemic placed restrictions on diagnostic and treatment capacity and increased service delays for cancer patients, the recent HSE cyber-attack has compounded the already significant backlog with the postponement of appointments and treatment.

“The fallout from both events has resulted in a growing backlog of patients waiting for services, while many others are presenting with symptoms late or declining appointments due to fear of contracting the virus.

“The onset of the pandemic resulted in significantly lower referral levels last year than in 2019, with 33% fewer elective cancer admissions in 2020 than in the previous 12 months.

“While long-term investment will be needed to address many of the pandemic-related issues within our healthcare system, right now we need to turn our attention to what actions will allow us to clear the cancer care backlogs across the country in the short-term.

“We need regular engagement between the HSE, Department of Health and healthcare workers and representative organisations to empower on-the-ground decision making. Local clinicians and hospital managers can easily identify where the backlogs are and take timely action to clear them, and we need to equip these front-line workers with the resources to tackle the delays and issues as and when they’re identified.

“We also need the HSE and Department of Health to put out the simple message that if you have symptoms, do not delay and go to see your GP immediately. People have stayed at home due to fear of contracting Covid, but they need to know that it is safe for them to go to the hospital environment, it is safe for them to be seen and they will receive the care they require.

“I am calling on the Minister for Health to engage with representative groups, managers and clinicians to help reduce the backlog that currently exists. Failure to do so will result in an increase in the number of patients with complex and advanced stage cancer,” concluded Deputy Burke.