Patient ‘postcode lottery’ to access vital cancer care

Wed, 09 Jul, 2025 - 09:35

Niamh Griffin Health Correspondent

A “shocking” postcode lottery exists for patients trying to access vital cancer care, the Irish Cancer Society has warned.

Many regional hospital units are simply too small for the number of patients needing treatment, it said, citing the example of men with suspected prostate cancer trying to access rapid access clinic appointments.

Nationally, only 74.2% of men got their rapid access clinic appointment within 20 working days — well below the 90% target — but this dropped as low as 12.7% in Galway compared to over 80% in Cork and Limerick.

Regional variance was also seen in breast cancer care and lung cancers. Over 96% of Waterford patients started radiotherapy within targeted times but this was just 62% for Beaumont and other hospitals in the St Luke's radiation oncology network.

Irish Cancer Society chief Averil Power said: “There is no question that these delays are causing avoidable deaths."