Question to the Minister of Health

Minister's Answer

The Cancer Strategy is a 10 year plan to reform cancer services in Northern Ireland. Since publication in 2022, we have already seen significant progress against a number of actions.

Key examples of progress to date include the development of Rapid Diagnosis Centres and services to provide genomic testing for cancer patients. Both these services will help improve pathways and improve patient outcomes.

We have completed reviews of haematological cancer pathways, and Adolescent and Young Adult cancer services, and are progressing work to implement the recommendations.

We have invested in oncology and haematology stabilisation plans and Clinical Nurse Specialists, to ensure that the services are better staffed.

Work is currently underway to review Breast Cancer Services and to implement an optimal care pathway for pancreatic cancer patients. The focus of this work is reducing the length of time that these patients are waiting for diagnosis and treatment, therefore improving patient outcomes.

Children’s oncology and haematology services have benefited from closer collaboration with our closest neighbours, including the development of bone marrow stem cell transplant services.

We are developing a cancer research strategy which will be published this year which will help increase the uptake in clinical trials, therefore improving outcomes.

There is undoubtedly more to be done, and additional investment is required, but the cancer strategy is already starting to deliver benefits for cancer patients in Northern Ireland.