Doctors lay bare the pandemic's consequences for cancer services

Cancer doctors want urgent action to address the major issues that services are encountering and which are causing huge anxiety and anguish for patients. File picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Screening and testing delays to diagnose cancers, lengthening waiting lists, and increasing exhaustion amongst staff and patients are being flagged as just some of the impacts the pandemic is having on cancer services.

Cancer doctors want urgent action to address the major issues that services are encountering and which are causing huge anxiety and anguish for patients.

Ahead of the Irish Cancer Society’s annual Daffodil Day on Friday, Prof Séamus O’Reilly, consultant medical oncologist at Cork University Hospital, said: "We urgently need a catch-up strategy to deal with the shortfall in diagnosis and treatment seen over the last year.”

This should include the establishment of focused taskforces dealing with a range of areas including treatment, radiology, endoscopy, and existing backlogs for breast and colorectal cancers.

“We have major concerns around timeframes across screening, diagnostics and surgery at the moment,” he said.

There also needs to be a ‘keep-up' strategy for Covid-19 that deals with protecting cancer services by properly resourcing ‘green’ or Covid-free care pathways. 

Hospital buildings need to be upgraded to reduce infection risk, and there needs to be a drive for staff retention and recruitment, Prof O’Reilly added. 

Staff are exhausted at the moment, and it is also taking a toll on the mental health of cancer patients.

The Irish Cancer Society this week expressed its concern at the HSE’s Safe Return to Health Services Plan, which indicates that in a best-case scenario it won’t be until the end of the year before cancer services return to pre-Covid-19 levels.

The Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day takes place this Friday. Popstars Jedward will shave off their signature hairstyles on The Late Late show to raise money for the charity. 

Twins John and Edward Grimes are taking part in memory of their mother, Susanna, who died in 2019 after she was diagnosed with leukemia and kidney failure. She worked as the twins’ manager for many years.

“We hope all the funds raised will contribute to a cancer-free future. This is such a good cause. We're sending so much strength and love to all those suffering with cancer.”