Health Committee Chair: Non-Covid patients 'immensely distressed'
The Chair of Stormont's Health Committee says Robin Swann must take 'immediate action' to ensure patients not suffering from Covid-19 still get the best possible care.
Sinn Fein MLA Colm Gildernew was speaking as it emerged cancer diagnoses have fallen by almost a quarter in Northern Ireland.
According to new research by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, between March and August this year there had been 23% fewer detections of the disease, compared to the same period last year.
Professor Anna Gavin from the Registry said it paints a worrying picture:
"Annually, approximately 10,000 persons in Northern Ireland are diagnosed with cancer, excluding the common non-melanoma skin cancer.
"In the first six months of the pandemic, from March to September 2020, we conservatively estimate that there have been 1,130 fewer cancers diagnosed pathologically than would have been expected.
"This is equivalent to 1 in 5 ‘missing’ cancers.
"The unfortunate reality is that these individuals will present weeks, months or years from now, with a cancer that is more advanced and therefore harder to treat.
"While cancer services have started to recover, we expect that the improvements in cancer survival seen over recent years will have halted or reversed."
Reacting to the news, Stormont's Health Committee Chair Colm Gildernew told Downtown Radio Cool FM the Health Minister must 'act now.'
He said: "There is no doubt that the HSC continues to face serious pressure in responding to Covid-19...
"However, the Health Minister made clear commitments to rebuilding non-Covid related health services, to ensure care was provided to those who need it while we battle the pandemic, this has not happened to date."
He added: "While the Minister for Health needs to put in place a robust strategy to suppress and keep the virus down, he must also take immediate action in line with... his own previous commitments to ensure essential non-Covid services get back to delivering vital treatment and care to those who need it, while continuing to respond to Covid-19.
"The reality is that ongoing cancellations in the midst of high levels of Covid-19 hospital admissions are causing immense distress to patients waiting for non-Covid treatment.
"This emphasises the need for every effort to be made to tackle the transmission of this virus, thus alleviating some of the pressure on our health service."