Ireland’s Cancer Care Disparities Endanger Lives, Urgent Action Needed

New data has exposed significant disparities in cancer care across Ireland, revealing a troubling “postcode lottery” that jeopardizes patient health. With a new cancer diagnosis occurring every three minutes, the urgency for equitable access to timely testing and treatment has never been greater.

Widespread Variations in Care

According to the Irish Cancer Society, only 74.2 percent of men received their prostate rapid access clinic appointment within the targeted 20 working days. This figure starkly contrasts with regional data, where appointments in Galway fell as low as 12.7 percent, while over 80 percent were seen in Cork and Limerick.

Similar inconsistencies were evident in breast and lung cancer care. For instance, 96.6 percent of patients in Waterford commenced radiotherapy within the established timelines, compared to just 62 percent in Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital. These delays highlight a critical issue: where a patient lives can significantly affect their chances of receiving timely and effective cancer treatment.

Impact of Delays on Survival Rates

Averil Power, Chief Executive of the Irish Cancer Society, emphasized that these delays lead to avoidable fatalities. “In cancer care, time can be everything,” she stated. Early-stage diagnosis can yield survival rates exceeding 80 percent, but by stage four, those rates plummet to below 20 percent. Therefore, swift access to diagnostic tests and treatments is essential.

Unfortunately, HSE data reveals that national targets for cancer tests and treatments were frequently unmet between March 2024 and February 2025. Many patients are experiencing distressing waits for tests, with one woman at the Mater Hospital in Dublin waiting 169 days for an urgent breast assessment. Alarmingly, nearly one in four women referred for urgent testing at Breast Rapid Access Clinics did not meet the 10-day target.

Across various hospitals, patients wait longer than necessary for initial appointments at Prostate Rapid Access Clinics. In Galway University Hospital, only 13 percent of patients were seen on time, further compounding concerns about the accessibility of cancer care.

The Need for Systemic Improvement

Delays are particularly pronounced for chemotherapy in the west and north-west regions. At Letterkenny University Hospital, an average of only 20 percent of patients began their treatment on schedule, with some months reporting zero timely starts. While there are signs of improvement, the current situation is unacceptable.

Radiotherapy treatment times have also been problematic, with only 66 percent of patients starting treatment within the 15 working days target across public hospitals. In St Luke’s Hospital in Dublin, this figure dropped to 62 percent, further illustrating the inconsistency in care.

These delays not only cause immense anxiety for patients and their families but also significantly increase mortality risk. Research published in the British Medical Journal indicates that each four-week delay in cancer treatment can elevate mortality rates by up to 10 percent.

Addressing the Shortcomings

Effective cancer services require adequate staffing, equipment, and physical space. Many cancer centers are struggling with shortages in at least one of these critical areas. Despite the dedication of healthcare professionals, there simply aren’t enough staff members to meet the demand. Additionally, essential equipment is lacking; for instance, there is no PET scanner in public hospitals in Galway, Limerick, or Waterford, and several radiotherapy machines in Dublin are outdated and frequently out of service.

The Irish Cancer Society calls for the government to prioritize investments in infrastructure and staffing for public cancer centers as part of the ongoing review of the National Development Plan. With projections indicating that nearly a quarter of a million people will receive a cancer diagnosis during the current government’s term, immediate action is necessary to ensure that all patients can receive timely and effective care.

As Averil Power noted, everyone deserves to hear the hopeful words, “You will survive,” rather than facing the tragic consequences of a postcode lottery in cancer care.