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The Irish Sun
20-07-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Ireland's cancer care postcode lottery laid bare as lives put at risk with new person diagnosed with disease every 3mins
A POSTCODE lottery exists for patients accessing cancer care, it has emerged. New data shows huge variations in tests and treatment across Ireland, meaning where you live can significantly impact how quickly you're diagnosed, and start treatment. 3 The postcode lottery is putting cancer patients at risk Credit: Getty Nationally, only 74.2 per cent of men got their prostate rapid access clinic appointment within 20 working days – below the 90 per cent target. This dropped as low as 12.7 per cent in Major regional variance was also seen in breast and lung Some 96.6 per cent of But this was down to just 62 per cent for Irish Cancer Society chief Averil Power warns there is no question these delays are causing avoidable deaths and that this postcode EVERY three minutes someone in Ireland learns they have cancer. One in two of us are now expected to get the disease in our lifetime. When you, or someone you love, receives that devastating news, you deserve the best possible chance of surviving the disease. Sadly, right now in Ireland, many people are not getting that chance. The major symptoms of 'common cancer' as HSE say 'know the signs' In cancer care, time can be everything. For many cancers, your chances of survival at stage one are 80 per cent or more. TIME MATTERS But by stage four, that can drop to less than 20 per cent. So early detection and treatment can literally be the difference between life and death. That is why target waiting times for cancer tests and treatment are set out in the National Cancer Strategy. However, WAITING FOR TESTS Many patients are waiting much longer than they should to access tests for breast and prostate cancer. Imagine being told by your This was the experience of one woman referred for an urgent breast assessment at the Mater Hospital in Dublin. Nationally, almost one in four women referred for urgent testing at Breast Rapid Access Clinics were not seen within the 10-day target. At the Mater, seven out of ten patients were not seen on time. Three other hospitals dropped below five in ten for at least four months last year. One in four patients nationally waited longer than they should have for their first appointment at a Prostate Rapid Access Clinic. At Galway University Hospital, only 13 per cent of patients accessed the prostate clinic on time. Access to cancer care and diagnostics should not be a postcode lottery. In Ireland, it is. CHEMOTHERAPY DELAYS If you are in the west or north-west of the country, you are far more likely to wait longer than you should for access to chemotherapy. The longest waiting times were in Letterkenny University Hospital, where on average only 20 per cent of patients started their treatment on time. In some months, nobody did. The situation has improved, but it is not acceptable that it became this bad. RADIOTHERAPY DELAYS The longest waiting times for radiotherapy were in the east of the country. Ninety per cent of patients should start radiation oncology treatment within 15 working days. In public hospitals across Ireland, just 66 per cent of patients did. In St Luke's in Dublin, only 62 per cent started on time. PUTTING LIVES AT RISK These waiting times are not only causing enormous anxiety for patients and In fact, the INADEQUATE STAFFING, EQUIPMENT AND SPACE For cancer services to function effectively, they need three things – staff, equipment and physical space. Most cancer centres are struggling with at least one of those. Our hospitals are staffed with incredible doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. They are working hard to deliver the best care they can. However, there are simply not enough of them. Equipment is a problem too. There is no PET scanner in our public hospitals in Galway, Limerick or Waterford. Some of the radiotherapy machines in Dublin are seven years past their useful life and are often out of service. While many welcome extensions have been added at some hospitals, others are half the size they need to be. INVESTMENT It must also deliver increased investment in cancer staffing in the next year's If the current coalition runs its full term, almost a quarter of a million people will hear the words 'you have cancer' under its watch. They must invest to ensure that more of us receive the words the Irish Cancer Society believes that everyone should hear: 'You will survive.' 3 One person learns they have cancer every three minutes in Ireland Credit: Getty 3 Irish Cancer Society chief Averil Power said delays are causing avoidable deaths Credit: Fennell Photography
The Journal
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Journal
Almost 25% of 'urgent' patients waiting too long for breast clinic appointments
MANY PEOPLE REFERRED for urgent appointments in breast diseases clinics are waiting longer than they should to be seen. New data obtained by the Irish Cancer Society shows that just 76.3% of patients got their appointment within the target of 10 working days. The figures have been described as a 'shocking postcode lottery', with patients living in certain areas less likely than others to get a much-needed appointment. This comes as The Journal Investigates reported the detrimental physical and psychological impacts delays to cancer care are having on people across the country. Earlier this week, our team showed that not only are hospitals failing to consistently start chemo on time, but people are waiting for diagnostic scans, surgeries and other treatments. READ OUR FULL SERIES HERE >> 'Early treatment dramatically reduces your risk of dying from cancer,' Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society said. 'A person's chances of surviving cancer are up to four times higher when treated at Stage 1 than at Stage 4. 'Today's figures highlight alarming failures to meet those targets in many cancer centres, due to shortages of staff, physical space and equipment.' They also reveal a shocking postcode lottery in Irish cancer care, with where you live determining how quickly you can access lifesaving tests and treatment. The charity is calling for an extra €20 million investment in development funding in Budget 2026. Wait times vary substantially by hospital. For urgent breast disease clinics, from March 2024 to February this year, Mater University Hospital had the lowest compliance. Fewer than three in 10 patients there (28.9%) got appointments within the recommended time. Only 54.5% of patients were seen on time in St James's Hospital in Dublin and this was just 59.8% in Letterkenny Hospital. Patients trying to access urgent prostate rapid access clinics also faced delays during that period. Nationally, just 74.2% were seen within the recommended 20 working days, but again this varied between hospitals. This time, Galway University Hospital had significant delays, with just 12.7% of patients getting their prostate appointment on time. Regional disparities were also evident in cancer treatment data reported by The Journal Investigates on Monday , with a number of hospitals continuing to drastically underperform. 'Significant demand on existing services' In a statement issued in response to these findings, the HSE said that access to diagnostics and capacity within assessment and treatment services were key challenges. The spokesperson gave a number of reasons for the cause of 'significant demand on existing services, as evidenced by performance data'. These include 'increased referrals driven by population growth, heightened awareness of symptoms and improved detection' and 'increasing complexity of both diagnostic pathways and cancer care'. Advertisement 'Today, over 220,000 people in Ireland are living with or after cancer, which is a 50% increase compared to a decade ago.' To improve efficiency of services, the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) 'is introducing more streamlined clinical pathways based on clinical evidence'. Liam Downey, president of the Irish Institute of Radiography and Radiation Therapy (IIRRT) told The Journal Investigates earlier this week that a more streamlined service was possible by having units that are 'purely scheduled care'. The HSE spokesperson said that 'a mammography-only breast route' and 'a dedicated family history pathway for those at increased risk' are among the pathways being introduced. 'Infrastructure investments are ongoing to expand theatre capacity, inpatient beds, systemic therapy day wards and aseptic compounding units.' But the HSE also said: To sustain this progress, consistency and assurance around future funding would be helpful. 'The NCCP is actively engaging within the HSE and with the Department of Health to ensure adequate resources are in place for 2026 and beyond.' Relying on ageing equipment Readers of The Journal told us these delays were having drastic physical and psychological impacts on them. They felt forgotten, holding their breaths, unable to think about their future. Margaret Higgins, who resorted to getting a private scan due to the backlog, said: 'The system is so broken… If you haven't got somebody strong to fight for you, you just get left behind.' The Society of Radiation Oncology says an ongoing equipment replacement programme is needed. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Commenting on the data released today, John Armstrong, president of the Irish Society of Radiation Oncology (ISRO), said that sustained investment is needed 'to address the chronic staff shortages we are facing'. He also said that ageing equipment needs to be upgraded. 'We need an ongoing replacement programme so that every ten years we don't find ourselves in the unacceptable situation of relying on predictably inefficient machinery.' On this, the HSE spokesperson said that 'a national radiation oncology equipment replacement programme, along with the expansion of the radiotherapy facility at the Beaumont Centre… is further enhancing radiation treatment capacity'. When asked about delays being experience in cancer services, the Department of Health told us that 'since 2017, funding of €105 million has been invested in the National Cancer Strategy, including €23 million in 2025″. They added: 'The Programme for Government commits to building on our progress in cancer control and improving the lives of people living with and beyond cancer.' — Maria Delaney is the editor of The Journal Investigates . Our investigative unit is dedicated to lifting the lid on how Ireland works. This takes time and it takes resources. Find out how you can help: Support The Journal Investigates Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
08-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Delays in cancer treatment are 'causing avoidable deaths', Irish Cancer Society warns
Delays in cancer care for breast, lung, and prostate patients are causing avoidable deaths, with patients in some counties much more impacted than others, the Irish Cancer Society has warned. Its analysis of new data from the National Cancer Control Programme shows, for the first time, differences between cancer centres. The target for referrals to Urgent Symptomatic Breast Disease Clinics is to have 95% seen within 10 days. However just 76.3% of referrals hit this between March last year and February this year. In addition Irish Cancer Society CEO Averil Power warned of regional differences. In Letterkenny the rate was 59.8% with a low of 5% in December 2024. This compares with Limerick where 97% were seen and 100% in Waterford. "Research published in the British Medical Journal has found that every four-week delay in starting cancer treatment can increase mortality by 10%. So, there is no question that these delays are causing avoidable deaths," she warned. Source: Irish Cancer Society. Source: Irish Cancer Society. Almost all men diagnosed with prostate cancer at stage one will survive but only half of those diagnosed at stage four. The data shows variations even within strong-performing sites. Monthly data shows while Cork reached 82.8% of these patients referred to rapid access clinics during all of last year, this dropped to 21.9% in August last year. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Ireland. In four sites they missed the target by small numbers, and each linked this to capacity issues. One - Waterford – said it was a data issue. Dr Michael McCarthy, Irish Society of Medical Oncology president and consultant medical oncologist in Galway warned: "I see the human cost of the postcode lottery in Irish cancer care every day. Once chemotherapy is prescribed, the National Cancer Strategy states that it should start within 15 working days. The reality in Galway is that patients are now typically waiting seven to eight weeks for their first session. Over 96% of Waterford patients started radiotherapy within target times, delivered in the private UPMC Whitfield hospital. Funding to upgrade ageing equipment and build more units is vital for Budget 2026, the cancer society urged. In Tralee, it highlighted a plan to build a dedicated cancer unit that was signed off on in December 2023 but has not started. In Limerick, it called for greater urgency in buying a PET scanner and for Cork more radiology facilities and equipment. Other feedback indicated shortages of GPs in the community as well as of nurses, radiologists, consultants and radiation therapists in hospitals. Source: Irish Cancer Society. When Ziva Cussen, 23, went to her GP in early 2023 with breast cancer concerns, she was referred to a symptomatic breast clinic within five weeks. Then, however, she said: 'I think I got lost in the system." In July she was given an ultrasound appointment for October. 'I was left waiting seven and a half months for an ultrasound,' she said. Ziva Cussen, Drogheda, was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer aged 21 in 2023. She faced a delay of 7.5 months in getting an ultrasound, and she questions if this impacted her. 'It's a crazy amount of time to be left waiting for a scan that literally could have been done on the day. It's less than 10 minutes, that scan.' She is now undergoing treatment for advanced breast cancer. 'There's just a lot of delays in the system,' she said. 'And being told 'we're under resourced, and not enough staff' — that's not a good enough reason, I think. People can be left waiting seven and a half months, it's costing people their lives.' Ms Cussen is a co-founder of 'Too Young to be Heard'. They want the age of public breast screening to be lowered among other age-related reforms. The data was shared with the Irish Cancer Society through the Regional Health Forum South and Cllr Roger Kennedy. The HSE National Cancer Control Programme, in response to these concerns, called for certainty around funding to support services. It highlighted reforms already started, but said: 'To sustain this progress, consistency and assurance around future funding would be helpful. 'The HSE recognises the critical importance of early intervention and the impact that delays can have on patients and their families.' Cancer survival is improving in Ireland, a spokeswoman added. 'Today, over 220,000 people in Ireland are living with or after cancer, which is a 50% increase compared to a decade ago," she said. The Cancer Strategy (2017 to 2026) allocated €90m for services development, including hiring the equivalent of 800 full-time workers. A spokesman for HSE Midwest including UHL said plans for a PET scanner are being developed, 'subject to funding availability in 2025/2026". The cancer centre has improved access to the Breast Unit with additional waiting list clinics. An increase in delays last year in accessing systemic therapy was due to a rise in demand, coupled with staffing challenges. 'The recruitment of additional staff has had a positive impact on treatment times. Six consultant oncologists are now in post,' he said. A new system for all cancer patients means a faster start to treatment, he added. 'Data for May 2025 shows 87% of patients commenced treatment within 15 working days,' he said. The nine who did not start on time were either too sick or delayed for other personal reasons. Recruitment is also continuing across HSE Southwest for Cork and Kerry. It shortlisted 18 radiation therapists in June for CUH to fill 11.5 full-time roles. Read More Extending bowel cancer screening to over 50s would reduce deaths but cost up to €66m, Hiqa says
The Journal
07-07-2025
- Health
- The Journal
'It's breaking me': Our readers share the impact of cancer scan delays
NOBODY WANTS TO hear the word cancer, but thankfully as science advances, it is becoming more treatable and people are living longer with the disease. But from diagnostic scans to treatment to surgery to surveillance, people are encountering delays in the Irish healthcare system at every step on their cancer journey. Delays in diagnosis and treatment 'are Ireland's biggest obstacle to improved cancer outcomes', according to Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society. The Journal Investigates reported earlier today that hospitals are failing to consistently start treatments including chemotherapy on time. Before ever reaching this step, many people anxiously wait — often for weeks or months — for tests needed to diagnose or monitor their cancer. This is not a small number. Over 300,000 people were waiting on scans in Ireland at the end of March 2025, with a shocking 15% waiting over 18 months. That is the waitlist for all conditions, but it includes tests that are vital for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, such as urgent and surveillance CT, MRI and ultrasound scans. Readers contacted us from across Ireland to share the physical and psychological impacts these delays are having on their lives. They felt forgotten, holding their breaths, unable to think about their future. Thank you to everyone who got in touch. Here's what you told us. 'I'm in a constant panic by not knowing' Emma Aspell from Dublin, who has two young children, received news she was dreading last week — her cancer was back, and had spread to her lungs. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and finished treatments for it in May 2024. Unfortunately, a year on, her surveillance scan wasn't clear and lung cancer was subsequently confirmed. But now she is waiting for a plan. I have been so optimistic. I've had so much fight in me. But my anxiety is winning. Emma said her consultant can't make a plan until she has a biopsy and the wait is three weeks. 'My consultant said he feels for me, but as they need a CT scanner to do a lung biopsy the wait is this long. 'It's breaking me. This could be the difference of life and death for me.' — Investigations like this don't happen without your support… Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Support The Journal Investigates Advertisement 'The system is so broken' Margaret Higgins said that, after many 'gruelling' months of chemotherapy and radiation, monitoring to see if her cancer has returned is her 'lifeline'. Due to a backlog, her mammogram at a large hospital in Dublin was delayed so she resorted to a private scan. Her next annual check-up was also pushed out by a number of months. 'The system is so broken,' she told The Journal Investigates. 'The staff are killing themselves' but whoever is making funding decisions 'is not doing a good job'. If you haven't got somebody strong to fight for you, you just get left behind. 'When you're not feeling well, you can't fight for your yourself,' Higgins added. Margaret was just one of numerous readers who told us that their mammograms were significantly delayed. Martina Balte, a breast cancer survivor, is waiting for an appointment for her overdue annual mammogram. It was due in May, but she doesn't even have a date. 'I contacted my breast cancer nurse — who couldn't help with an appointment and she told me to do regular breast checks myself while waiting on my appointment.' 'When I was diagnosed at 48, my symptoms were a pain under my arm. When I got my diagnoses of a 5 cm lump, I couldn't feel it. To put the responsibility on me to check for recurrence due to imaging not being available is wrong. 'Cancer survivors live with a fear of recurrence every day. There should be no delays with their appointments, mammograms or scans.' 'You're forever left with 'what if' Muireann Mc Colgan was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer two weeks after her daughter Aobh was born. Getting access to scans continue to be an ongoing issue for her, even after diagnosis. That includes yearly mammograms. But her last appointment was pushed out by five months. 'You feel forgotten about,' she said. The delay made her feel like she didn't matter to the health service 'because she was going to eventually die to the disease'. Muireann Mc Colgan feels forgotten by the health service. Muireann Mc Colgan Muireann Mc Colgan Alongside two other women with breast cancer, Niamh Noonan and Ziva Cussen, she started a campaign — Too Young To Be Heard — calling for improvements across a number of areas of cancer care, especially for young women. The ability to get scans or biopsies on the same day as a BreastCheck appointment is one of their key asks. Muireann said that women who are waiting for tests are 'terrified'. Rather than wait for a place in the public system, she said: 'Honestly, without freaking them out, I just tell them to go private.' She told us that 'the whole thing is a mess'. You're forever left with the 'what if'. What if it been done earlier? What if I had pushed for it? Other issues the campaign group say need to be addressed include lowering the age of public breast cancer screening, immediately referring women with symptoms to specialist clinics regardless of age or family history, as well as financial assistance with treatment and lost earnings. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is to examine extending breast cancer screening beyond the current ages of 50-69. This comes as guidance issued in the United States last year recommended it should start at age 40. Niamh Noonan, Ziva Cussen and Muireann Mc Colgan set up Too Young To Be Heard to amplify Irish breast cancer voices. Muireann Mc Colgan Muireann Mc Colgan Related Reads 'It's getting tougher': Hospitals failing to consistently start chemo on time Cancer diagnoses could double by 2045 without urgent action, warns Irish Cancer Society Funding removed from large cancer centre Mater University Hospital diagnoses over a fifth of all breast cancers in Ireland. When asked about delays to mammograms, a spokesperson for the hospital said that it 'is facing significant capacity constraints due to high demand and a lack of funding'. Last year, 'dedicated funding for additional mammography lists was removed, which directly impacted on the unit's ability to meet the demand for services'. The Mater's unit receives about 7,500 referrals every years and also receives patients post diagnosis from the Breastcheck unit. 'A comprehensive business case' for extra staff and resources has been submitted by the hospital. The Dublin hospital said that it 'regrets any inconvenience caused to our patients due to the capacity constraints of the service' and it is 'working to find solutions to the issue'. 'Patients are consistently advised to consult their GP for re-referral if they develop symptoms of concern.' 'Inefficiency in the system' The readers that contacted us attended a wide variety of hospitals, so it is clear that cancer units right across Ireland are impacted by these capacity constraints. One reader who lives in the midlands has been waiting for years to find out if her symptoms are, in fact, cancer. She first had them around three years ago, and between delays and lack of capacity, she only had a biopsy in April. 'It's almost three months since I had the procedure and getting close to three years since I first reported symptoms to my GP and I still have no results. 'I fully understand the pressure on hospital staff, but I also think there is a significant degree of inefficiency in the system.' Other readers recounted their hurt and frustration about the treatment of their relatives who died of cancer. Many cited delays in diagnosis while waiting for PET and CT scans, even as an inpatient or when attending the emergency department with cancer-related symptoms. Kiri, who is based in the south, told us that his wife had to endure this 'hell'. 'Simply in order to get the required MRI scans my wife had to spend four days (of what turned out to be her last two weeks) on a trolley in corridors and later a basement storage room, with lights constantly on, waiting for the scan the doctor had ordered.' Because of the lack of capacity, she had to be admitted as an inpatient to get further tests. Despite her not needing to stay in hospital, she was forced to stay in an overcrowded ward for a further five days away from her family simply to hold her place in the queue. Claire, who contacted us about her mother's care, told us that a follow-up scan wasn't scheduled until she, and her sisters, pushed the hospital for it. When the scan eventually happened, the cancer had regrown. 'From waiting for weeks for scans, further weeks for results and constantly having to follow up ourselves… I am convinced that if we had not been there to advocate for her, her life would have been cut even shorter.' From investigation to consultation in 8 days We also received a positive story from reader Peter Larner living in the midwest. He was diagnosed with bowel cancer following routine screening by the HSE. I received, in a matter of days, a letter with an invitation for more tests. A CT scan was scheduled for the following week and Peter had an appointment with a surgeon a few days after that. He said it took eight days from 'investigation to consultation' and he had surgery within five weeks. This experience was 'hugely positive thanks to the HSE', he told us. Radiographers calling for dedicated units There is a need for dedicated units to prevent delays, according to Liam Downey, president of the Irish Institute of Radiography and Radiation Therapy (IIRRT). Sign up The Journal Investigates is dedicated to lifting the lid on how Ireland works. Our newsletter gives you an inside look at how we do this. Sign up here... Sign up .spinner{transform-origin:center;animation:spinner .75s infinite linear}@keyframes spinner{100%{transform:rotate(360deg)}} You are now signed up 'If you had units that are purely scheduled care… it's more streamlined and better for patients,' he told us. Unscheduled care, such as a trauma patient after a car crash or an ICU patient who needs an urgent scan, mean there is a 'constant balance' between ensuring they can be seen and fitting in outpatient scans. 'They're all coming through one system.' Downey said his members 'are seeing delays to oncology patients needing a scan after radiation or chemotherapy'. 'Trying to meet these timelines is a particular challenge. There isn't capacity there to get them back in.' That is an issue that the Irish Cancer Society's Averil Power also raised. 'Effects on the body can be quite harsh, so you don't want to be giving somebody chemotherapy if it's not working. 'It's really important that people are getting regular scans' to check this, she told The Journal Investigates. As a result of not getting these scans, she said: Patients are starting their treatment later, and also patients are potentially being given treatment that isn't working. That is hugely concerning. As well as more investment in diagnostic capacity the charity is calling for dedicated cancer centres. That is the 'long-term goal' so that 'cancer isn't competing with other diseases' when it comes to scans, treatment slots or surgery. A Department of Health spokesperson told us: 'The Government is fully committed to improving cancer care, ensuring better prevention, maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates, and timely access to treatments.' They said that since 2017, €105 million been invested in the National Cancer Strategy, including €23 million this year. 'This has enabled the recruitment of over 670 staff to our national cancer services, including 200 nursing staff, 100 consultants, and 180 health and social care professionals in designated cancer centres.' In relation to delays in diagnosis of cancer, the spokesperson told us: 'The Department is reviewing utilisation of diagnostics and this will utilise the National Integrated Medical Imaging System (NIMIS) to provide hourly usage data of machines and look at enablers to use machines on evenings and weekends.' IIRRT's Downey told us 'there are huge efforts being put in across the country to increase the capacity'. Radiographers are working on call, evenings and weekends in some places. 'But without the resource behind it, it doesn't actually lead to any increase in volume.' To address this, he said more staff are needed. The IIRRT have submitted a business case on this to the HSE and Department of Health. Though he also warned that even with all units running at full capacity 'we're constantly behind the curve'. 'By the time we increase infrastructure, we are already behind what is needed.' The Journal Investigates Reporter / Editor: Maria Delaney • Main Image Design: Lorcan O'Reilly • Social Media: Cliodhna Travers Investigations like this don't happen without your support... Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Over 5,000 readers have already supported our mission with a monthly or one-off payment. Join them here: Support The Journal
The Journal
07-07-2025
- Health
- The Journal
'It's getting tougher': Hospitals failing to consistently start chemo on time
MORE PEOPLE ARE waiting longer than recommended to start vital cancer treatments in Irish public hospitals. 'It's getting tougher and tougher,' Dr Michael McCarthy, consultant medical oncologist told The Journal Investigates. 'Waiting to start curative treatment could impact the chances of being able to successfully cure cancer, or control it to maximise the quality of somebody's life.' The HSE recommends that once patients are ready for treatments like intravenous chemotherapy and immunotherapy that they should receive them within 15 working days. Hospitals have a target to treat 90% of patients within this time – about 10% can 'have more complex needs that confound or delay treatment', the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) told us. But since 2023, all but one of the public hospitals offering these life-saving treatments missed the HSE's monthly target at least once, data obtained by The Journal Investigates through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed. A shocking 10 hospitals missed the target in more than half of the months, where data was returned, between January 2023 and April 2025. That means people can be left waiting many days or weeks more than recommended for their cancer treatment. 'This is not just a delay – it can be life altering,' Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, told The Journal Investigates . It risks disease progression, it worsens survival outcomes and it inflicts deep psychological harm on patients and their families. 'That's why these figures should serve as a wake-up call to Government to provide the investment that's needed in Budget 2026.' A spokesperson for the NCCP said: 'The HSE recognises the critical importance of timely access to cancer treatment and the impact that delays can have on patients and their families.' They added: 'While this target is being met in many instances, it is acknowledged that a number of hospitals continue to experience challenges in consistently achieving this standard.' Hospitals are responsible for ensuring they meet this target, but the NCCP engages at a regional and hospital level to 'enable performance at a system level', including the identification of 'systemic barriers'. The Department of Health told us that 'Government is fully committed to improving cancer care, ensuring better prevention, maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates, and timely access to treatments'. 'Since 2017, funding of €105 million has been invested in the National Cancer Strategy, including €23 million in 2025,' they continued. But for McCarthy, a consultant in Galway University Hospital and chair of the NCCP Medical Oncology Clinical Leads Group, 'the link between demand and resourcing has gone astray'. More and more, after he breaks the news to patients that they have cancer or that their cancer is back, he then has to tell them 'the next treatment slot is in seven weeks'. 'Psychologically, for many people to be waiting that long, is very challenging.' This was echoed by a number of people with cancer who contacted our team. Advertisement There are infrastructure deficits in day wards, according to the National Cancer Control Programme. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Investigations like this don't happen without your support… Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Support The Journal Investigates Some hospitals drastically underperforming Nationally, access to chemo and similar treatments, is taking longer. An average of 87% patients received it on time in 2023. This dropped to an average of 85% in 2024 and 84% from January to April this year. This KPI only captures new parenteral systemic therapy in a day ward setting – such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy – so does not include additional cycles of treatment. The lowest performer during that time was Letterkenny University Hospital, which never met the 90% target. Just 12% of cancer patients in Letterkenny were treated within 15 working days in 2024. But 'after significant efforts' last year, 'incremental improvements' were noted since November, according to the NCCP. The figure from January to April stands at an average of 72% treated on time. This stood at 82% in the most recent returned data, from April. Proposals have been made for 'significant investment at Letterkenny University Hospitals', a HSE West and North West spokesperson told us. That includes 'a stand-alone facility to provide ambulatory (non-inpatient) care'. They added: 'The hospital will be making every effort to secure funding and progress this significant capital development… in as expedient a manner as possible.' But three other hospitals continue to drastically underperform – Waterford, St Luke's in Kilkenny and St Luke's in Rathgar. Less than 70% of patients here, on average, started chemo on time between January and April this year. People attending St Luke's in Kilkenny fared worst in more recent times. More and more are waiting longer there each year. The KPI dropped from 84% in 2023 to just 62%, on average, in the first four months of this year. Data for South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in Cork was not returned to the NCCP since 2023 when 86% of patients, on average, started chemo on time. Power said she was 'particularly alarmed by the regional disparities because where you live should not make a different to your cancer treatment and outcomes. It's shocking to see that it is.' 'The NCCP are aware,' a spokesperson said, 'that there are infrastructure deficits in day wards, some of which are addressed by the Capital Plan 2025.' This plan, they continued, 'outlines that progress will be made in 2025 on the design' of oncology day units at hospitals in Cavan, Tallaght, Kerry and Tullamore. From the FOI's figures, Cavan was the only hospital that always met this KPI since 2023, with 100% of patients receiving treatment on time every month. 'No single solution' A delay of four weeks in getting surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy can affect a person's chances of surviving cancer, according to the Irish Cancer Society. Related Reads Cancer diagnoses could double by 2045 without urgent action, warns Irish Cancer Society Martin* from Dublin, who died from cancer in his 50s last year, was one such person impacted in this way, his family told The Journal Investigates . His brother, and best friend, said that after Martin was diagnosed, he was told that chemotherapy was needed before he could have surgery. Because of a long waiting list for treatment in his local public hospital, Martin turned to private care but 'one was as bad as the other', his brother said. It took three months to get a place on the day ward to start treatment. By that time his cancer had spread, his brother told us, and he was no longer suitable for surgery. His whole world fell apart. To improve cancer care, Power said that an extra €20 million is needed for the National Cancer Strategy. This would help to address staffing and infrastructure issues. She warned: 'It will only get worse is the government doesn't provide urgent investment.' The Department of Health told us that 2025 funding 'will support recruitment of 179 additional staff to national cancer screening and treatment services'. The spokesperson also said that capital funding has been used since 2017 'to update cancer infrastructure in chemotherapy wards and lab facilities'. Delivery of cancer services and developments in treatments 'have led to a significant improvement in cancer survivorship', they added. Averil Power of the Irish Cancer Society called for urgent investment in cancer services last week. Andres Poveda Andres Poveda Dr Michael McCarthy told us there is 'no single solution', but tackling three key areas would help reduce delays and improve outcomes. These are infrastructure, staffing and improving workflows in oncology units. The oncology team he is part of has worked hard on the last solution, ensuring treatment slots are used as efficiently as possible – with cancelled slots filled and treatments pre-prepared to reduce the amount of time needed per slot. The Galway team are working on a plan to open on bank holidays, which are 'a disaster', according to McCarthy, as 'you're trying to squash five days of treatments into four'. Working on weekends 'will be trickier again', but he does acknowledge that it will be part of the service in the future. The NCCP told us that 'some hospitals have already started offering services on Saturdays and bank holidays to address local capacity challenges' and is actively monitoring the impact of these initiatives. 'Any decision to implement this approach nationally would need to balance patient access, workforce sustainability and overall system capacity,' the spokesperson added. Delays predicted to get worse Cancer services are set to be under more pressure in the coming years. Last week, in the Irish Cancer Society's pre-budget submission , Power said that 'without urgent action, the number of people getting cancer in Ireland is expected to double by 2045″. The charity's submission showed that people were not only waiting for chemotherapy but also for diagnostic tests, surgery and radiation therapy. We detail how these waits are having a devastating impact on people with cancer in part two of this series McCarthy told The Journal Investigates that delays are 'a problem throughout the country' and it's 'likely to get worse'. 'Demand on our day wards is rising predictably year-on-year. We know that next year there'll probably be about a 10% increase again, and it's likely that rate of increase will continue for the next five to ten years.' Sign up The Journal Investigates is dedicated to lifting the lid on how Ireland works. Our newsletter gives you an inside look at how we do this. Sign up here... Sign up .spinner{transform-origin:center;animation:spinner .75s infinite linear}@keyframes spinner{100%{transform:rotate(360deg)}} You are now signed up Part of this growth is because we have an aging and increasing population. But the main reason demand is increasing is because 'cancer treatments are more effective so people are living for longer', he explained. That means more treatments are needed over the course of their lifetimes. The other driving factor is the increasing complexity of treatments. McCarthy used the example of a new immunotherapy for head and neck cancers, set to be available in Ireland in the coming years. This more effective treatment requires around triple the current number of visits to the day ward. Dr Michael McCarthy says the current struggle to schedule treatment is set to get worse. Ray Ryan (via Dr Michael McCarthy) Ray Ryan (via Dr Michael McCarthy) This is concerning, given it's already 'a struggle' to get people booked for treatment – McCarthy's patients are often allocated a provisional waiting time of seven weeks for chemotherapy or immunotherapy. This struggle is not fully reflected in Galway University Hospital target numbers reported to the HSE, even despite their recent drop. An average of 73% of patients received treatments such as chemotherapy within 15 working days, down from 91% in 2023 and 76% in 2024. The 'only reason' the KPI is even in the 70s is because of the nurses and pharmacists working extremely hard to screen patients so they're ready for treatment and call people with last-minute cancellations, McCarthy said. The other option, if we need to start chemotherapy urgently, is to admit people to our inpatient ward. But, the oncologist said, 'that has consequences for people who need inpatient care', as beds are no longer available for them. A cancer care network for the west and northwest, to include a cancer centre at Galway University Hospital, is set to be delivered in the National Development Plan 2021-2030. The NCCP told us that 'this infrastructure development for the West North West Health Region is expected to improve dayward capacity regionally'. But to properly deal with ongoing delays, McCarthy said that staffing and infrastructure deficits have to be addressed. Though it is clear what is needed, he is not hopeful. 'How bad will it need to get before the resources become available to improve it? Do [patients] need to be waiting eight or nine weeks?' *Name has been changed The Journal Investigates Reporter / Editor: Maria Delaney • Main Image Design: Lorcan O'Reilly • Social Media: Cliodhna Travers Investigations like this don't happen without your support... Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Over 5,000 readers have already supported our mission with a monthly or one-off payment. Join them here: Support The Journal
