AQW 4109/17-22

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 13/05/2020
Answered On Date: 21/05/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health (i) whether any planned treatment for cancer or other serious illness has been postponed or provided less frequently because of the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) whether waiting times for cancer treatments have increased due to COVID-19; and (iii) to outline the COVID-19 risk to patients receiving cancer treatment.

Answer:

In answer to your question:

Whilst there has been a necessary restructuring of services to permit an appropriate response to COVID-19 staff worked incredibly hard to ensure that urgent and emergency cancer treatment continued during the pandemic surge. Unfortunately, many procedures and diagnostic appointments have had to be postponed or delayed. When a decision is taken to delay diagnostics or treatment during the response to COVID-19, safety netting is in place to ensure that these patients resume on the appropriate pathway as soon as it is safe to do so.

Waiting times for cancer treatments have been affected due to COVID-19. Part of the inevitable reduction in activity is due to the need to introduce measures to make treatment available safely.

Chemotherapy medications and some targeted therapies for cancer can cause temporary depletion of the immune system and increased the risk of poor outcomes for those infected with COVID-19. Age is also a significant risk factor both for cancer and COVID-19. Cancer specialists are actively discussing the added risks posed by the Covid-19 infection with patients to help them decide on the best course of action for them. The risk of cancer not being treated optimally has to be balanced with the risk of the patient becoming seriously ill from COVID-19. Trusts have arrangements in place to manage the care of people with Covid-19 separately from other patients.