Operational challenges leaves Northern Trust lagging behind in breast referral waiting times

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has been taking part in a pilot to improve breast referral waiting times after just over 10 per cent of suspected tumours were seen by a specialist within 14 days.

According to statistics published by the Department of Health, the percentage of patients seen by a breast cancer specialist within 14 days in the Northern Trust was the lowest in Northern Ireland during the first three months of the year.

This was 14.7 per cent in January, 24.5 per cent in February and 11.2 per cent in March.

Meanwhile, the number of women seen by a breast cancer specialist in the Belfast Trust within 14 days was 100 per cent during all three months and 100 per cent in the South Eastern Trust in January and 96.3 per cent in February.

Northern Trust board members heard at a remote meeting on Thursday that a new pilot to track patients, which is in use in the Belfast Trust, has meant that 100 per of urgent breast cancer referrals in the Northern Trust were seen within 14 days in July.

However, members were told by Director of Surgical and Clinical Services Margaret O’Hagan that the team has not increased and a surgeon was lost to another Trust in April.

“We have changed the way some sonographers are working. We cannot sit back on our laurels,” she said.

However, she indicated that figures for next month are “not looking so good” with 22 days being the longest wait experienced.

“One of the surgeons needed to self-isolate,” she explained.

“There is a backlog for surgery again. Patients are so understandably upset there is a delay for surgery.”

Board Chairman Bob McCann asked if patients are being seen within timescales.

Northern Trust Chief Executive Jennifer Welsh told the board she and the clinical team were”satisfied” by the new method.

“This is an appropriate way to do things.

There is no risk to patients. Patients are being seen appropriately,” she said.

She indicated that the system is bringing the northern region “into line with other Trusts”.

“Our breast surgeons are exceptionally committed. It was their idea to bring this forward,” she stated.

Margaret added: “We are keeping a closer eye than ever on patients as they move through the system.”

She pointed out that there is “no change” to how patients are recorded.

“It is a technicality of how we are tracking patients,” she explained.

“Patients at most risk are being seen within the standard.”