All cancer waiting time targets missed in Northern Ireland

All targets for Northern Ireland's cancer waiting times have been missed, latest figures show.

In September, 75.5% of breast cancer patients were seen within 14 days. The target is that all urgent breast cancer referrals should be seen within that time.

The target for 95% of patients to begin treatment within 62 days after an urgent GP referral was also missed.

Only 42.5% got treatment within that time during September.

That figure rose slightly to 43.9% in August and 52.4% in July.

The targets for waiting times for a first definitive treatment following a decision to treat were also missed.

During September 2021, there were 2,583 new referrals for suspect breast cancer - this compares to 2,042 the year before.

'Consistent failure'

The chief executive officer of Cancer Focus NI, Richard Spratt, described the latest waiting time figures as "extremely disappointing".

"Yet again, large numbers of local cancer patients have not been seen within the department's own target dates," he said.

"This has been a consistent failure ever since these targets were set.

"These statistics are not just numbers; they represent real people.

"When patients are waiting so long for a diagnostic test or treatment, the impact on them is devastating on top of all the other stresses associated with Covid-19."