To ask the Minister of Health to detail the actions being taken to ensure that patients diagnosed with cancer receive their first treatment within 31 days.

NI waiting time targets state that at least 98% of patients diagnosed with cancer should receive their first definitive treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat. In the quarter ending March 2024, 2,949 patients started their first definitive treatment, 86.5% (2,551) of those patients started treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat, compared with 88.6% (2,463) in the previous quarter and 87.8% (2,445) in the same quarter last year. Increasing demand and workforce challenges are impacting on the 31-day standard.

The Department continues to work with all Trusts to reduce the current waiting time for cancer treatments. In the first two quarters of 2024/25 non-recurrent funding has been allocated to Trusts to support additional waiting list initiative work, using both inhouse and independent sector capacity. In addition, the Department continues to facilitate the equalisation and reduction of waiting times through the inter-Trust transfer of patients.

The Strategic Planning and Performance Group of DOH meet quarterly with trust colleagues to review performance. Trusts also provide Cancer Performance Optimisation Plans that are intended to reduce variation in practice, reduce variation in waiting times, maximising workforce capacity and skill mix, thereby optimising capacity and productivity within the Trust’s core service provision.