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.
