Cancer services in Northern Ireland

Cancer Research UK wants to see improvements in cancer services throughout the UK. We commissioned the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow to explore the ‘state’ of cancer services in Northern Ireland.

The report, ‘Where next for cancer services in Northern Ireland?’, was published in 2016. While one of the report’s major recommendations – the development of a new cancer strategy for Northern Ireland – was achieved in 2022, the overall situation in cancer services has not improved since the paper was published. The COVID pandemic had an impact on cancer services, but the service was struggling long before that.  

In Northern Ireland today, around 56 per cent of people diagnosed with cancer will live for five years after diagnosis. But survival in Northern Ireland still lags behind other comparable nations and outcomes could be better.

More people are being affected by cancer and services need to be ready for further growth in the number of patients needing care. In 2018, over 9,600 people were diagnosed with cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) in Northern Ireland; by 2040 this is expected to rise by 45% to over 14,000. 

Cancer services are currently struggling to meet rising demand. Performance against key waiting time targets, for example, is currently at its lowest average level ever, and the 62-day target in particular has never been met since its introduction in 2009.

While Cancer Research UK welcomes the introduction of the 2022 NI Cancer Strategy, in its first two years it has not received the financial allocations outlined in the initial funding plan. And implementation has been slow, with many projects not yet initiated.

The next Northern Ireland Executive must focus on both system transformation to improve current cancer services, and securing funding and driving implementation of the cancer strategy to ensure better outcomes in the future.

Northern Ireland Cancer Strategy March 22 Department of Health

Where next for cancer services in Northern Ireland? An evaluation of priorities to improve patient care (September 2016) - executive summary and recommendations

Where next for cancer services in Northern Ireland? An evaluation of priorities to improve patient care (September 2016) - full report