Cancer charities fearful of expanding waiting lists

LOCAL charities have expressed their concerns that restrictions put in place to combat Covid-19 will lead to a dramatic increase in waiting lists and a surge of cancer patients.

Since the pandemic restrictions were put in place, the number of people seeking medical attention dropped significantly, and it is feared there will now be a significant increase in cancer waiting times as appointments and treatments resume after lockdown.

Latest waiting list figures suggest that only 56 per-cent of cancer in patients in the Western Trust began treatment within 62 days of an urgent GP referral in March 2020 – a ten per-cent drop from March 2019 when 66.7 per-cent of patients were treated within 62 days.

The figures also reveal a drop in the number of referrals for suspected breast cancer in March 2020 as 1,476 new referrals were received compared to 1,854 in February, 2,083 in January and 2,052 in March 2019.

Local charity Termonmaguirc Cancer Patients Comfort Fund supports people who have been diagnosed with cancer in Carrickmore and the surrounding areas.

Treasurer Vincent Meenagh says the charity is concerned that Covid-19 will result in a major increase in the length of cancer waiting times.

Mr Meenagh said, “We know there is a lot of people who are scared and not going to the health centre or GP because they are so worried about picking up the virus.

“It is the same for all people who are already sick, they are putting off going to get looked at.

“Things haven’t changed for our charity and we still have the same amount of people donating and volunteering, but we think there will be a lot of new cases after all this has settled down.

“It certainly is worrying,” concluded Mr Meenagh.

Health Minister Robin Swann has warned that the waiting lists will get longer due to the restrictions put in place during the pandemic.

Minister Swann said, “The restructuring of services necessitated to combat Covid-19 means that the waiting lists for the second quarter will in all likelihood be even worse.”

Vice chairman of Care for Cancer, Ivan Gilmour, echoed the minister’s concerns and said, “Doctors and other medical professions have warned that there may be a large increase in cancer patients in the coming weeks.

“We are prepared to support as many people as we can.

“Over the past month, we have had at least eight new referrals and that is with us being essentially closed,” said Mr Gilmour.