Health Minister challenges parties to commit to funding of cancer strategy

Political parties have been challenged to honour their commitment to the health service by funding a ten-year cancer strategy.

Health Minister Robin Swann said he has ensured more than £2 million needed for the first year of the strategy is there, but said a challenge will come in future years in the absence of the planned three-year Stormont budget.

That multi-year budget was not passed before the collapse of the Executive following the resignation of First Minister Paul Givan over concerns around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

“We know the difficulties that we’re looking at without that recurring budget that we thought we were going to get,” Mr Swann told the PA news agency.

“It depends on an increased budget, it depends on increased investment on a cancer service delivery plan that we know we need in Northern Ireland.

“Year one is going to be delivered, we’ve already started that with the announcement of the two diagnosis centres, one in the South West Tyrone Area Hospital and the other in the Whiteabbey Hospital.

“That shows our dedication to get on with this piece of work because we know that we need to do it.

“When it comes to the future financing of this strategy, I’m going to look to others to actually step up and make sure that they live up to the commitments that they are making, not just previously, but those commitments they have been making to people on the doors by supporting the health service.”

The new strategy aims to ensure that everyone in Northern Ireland has timely access to diagnosis, treatment and care, Mr Swann has said.

Launching the strategy on Tuesday, the minister said it is hoped that the two rapid diagnosis centres at Whiteabbey and South Tyrone hospitals would welcome their first patients later this year.

Mr Swann said: “Unfortunately, cancer will impact on all our lives at some point either directly or indirectly.

“Therefore the central vision of the new strategy is to ensure that everyone in Northern Ireland, wherever they live, has equitable and timely access to the most effective, evidence-based referral, diagnosis, treatment, support and person-centred cancer care.

“Regrettably, cancer services were challenged before the pandemic and there continues to be significant capacity and workforce challenges across a range of areas.

“Therefore there is a need to move forward urgently to implement the actions outlined in this strategy to rebuild and transform our services in the short, medium and longer term.”

The strategy sets out 60 recommendations for strategic changes to be taken forward over the next decade, in preventing cancer, diagnosing and treating cancer, supporting people to live and die well and implementing the strategy.

Mr Swann said: “The rapid diagnosis centres will be piloted at both the South Tyrone Hospital and the Whiteabbey Hospital, and will enable patients from across Northern Ireland who have non-specific but concerning symptoms to get diagnosis support when they do not meet the criteria for red flag referral.”

The strategy is published alongside a funding plan which identifies an estimated investment need of about £2.3 million in the first year and in the region of £145 million per year when all actions are implemented.

A capital one-off investment of approximately £73 million is also required.

Mr Swann said: “Addressing the challenges currently facing cancer services in Northern Ireland, and implementing the strategic improvements greatly needed and so long sought for, is dependent on the availability of significantly increased and sustained funding.

“Unfortunately, cancer services in Northern Ireland have historically been underfunded in comparison with other UK jurisdictions.”

Cancer Research UK’s public affairs manager in Northern Ireland Barbara Roulston said: “People affected by cancer in Northern Ireland have waited a long time for a new cancer strategy so this publication, which outlines an ambition for world-class cancer services, is very welcome.

“It has the potential to prevent more cancers, diagnose the disease earlier and improve patient care.

“However, after the draft budget collapsed last month, the funding needed to make these plans a reality has not yet been confirmed.

“Without investment, the impact on patients could be devastating as staff shortages take their toll and health services are unable to take advantage of the latest equipment, tests and treatments.”