AQO 1492/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 21/01/2021
Answered On Date: 01/02/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the cancelling of cancer surgeries due to COVID-19.

Answer:

Health Trusts are working tirelessly to maintain cancer care as far as possible during the current COVID-19 surge. However, the increasing COVID-19 infection rate has led to a sustained increase in unscheduled hospital and ICU admissions throughout January. Unfortunately, this has necessitated the redeployment of theatre staff and has significantly impacted on surgical provision, including red flag surgery.

The current situation throughout cancer services is extremely challenging. All Trusts are maintaining urgent bookable theatre lists for emergency surgery and, where capacity allows, are utilising capacity within those lists for cancer surgery.

My Department and the Health and Social Care Board have been working with independent sector providers and have secured capacity until end March 2021, and for the next financial year. From 1 April 2020 approximately 3,900 patients have benefited from this collaboration.

This additional resource will help manage the ongoing challenge in terms of theatre access and identify additional theatre sessions and day procedure lists. This capacity is prioritised for cancer and we are continuing to explore all opportunities to maximise and expand available capacity. Provision for continued access to the three independent hospitals had been made to 31 March 2021 however, given the impact of surge 3 dialogue has resulted in at least another 112 theatre sessions being made available for HSC cancer and time critical patients.

Capacity has also been secured from RoI private clinics and discussions are ongoing with NHS England for in-house and IS capacity for Northern Ireland patients.

In addition, I have recently approved the establishment of a new regional approach. This will ensure that any available theatre capacity across Northern Ireland is allocated for those patients most in need of surgery. This will include seeking to fully maximise all available in-house Health and Social Care and accessing available Independent Sector capacity.

Whilst this may mean that patients will need to travel further for their surgery, I would rather see the highest priority treatments delivered elsewhere in Northern Ireland, than not at all.

I deeply regret that any patient experiences postponed operations. However I am assured that every attempt will continue to be made to protect the most urgent surgery, and that postponed operations will be rescheduled as quickly as possible. Trusts are keeping the position under daily review.