AQW 3647/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 27/09/2022
Answered On Date: 07/10/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to outline the reasons behind the growing waiting list for treatment for prostate cancer.

Answer:

A number of factors have contributed to growing waits for prostate cancer. We have seen an 9% increase in urology referrals for 21/22 when compared to pre-pandemic levels (2019/20). Referrals for April-September 2022 suggest that 2022/23 will see further growth in the region of 3%.

This increase in referrals has come at a time when services are still recovering from the impact of COVID-19. The need to introduce enhanced infection prevention and control measures and to redeploy staff had a profound impact across the pathway, from reductions in outpatient capacity, through to a reduction in day case and inpatient care due to reduced theatre access. While steps were taken to minimise the impact of COVID (e.g. commissioning of additional capacity in the independent sector and regional prioritisation of surgery), the system was unable to deliver at pre-pandemic levels.

In addition, the system is working with workforce constraints due to vacancies in nursing and consultant vacancies across a number of specialities including urology and pathology. Steps are being taken to actively recruit to vacancies and to invest in skills mix.

The DoH continues to work to expand urology capacity and funding has recently been announced to allow the development of 4 regional day surgery lists on the Omagh site. This capacity will allow additional Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) and trans urethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) procedures to be undertaken to support the equalisation of waits. Consultant Urologists work across all urology pathways therefore efficiencies in these diagnostis and treatment procedures will improve flow for patients overall, to include prostate cancer.

While these developments combined with the gradual return to pre-COVID activity levels should improve the position over the coming months, ultimately, delivering on sustainable improvements in cancer waiting times in the face of increasing demand will require sustainable investment in workforce and diagnostic capacity in particular.