Urgent Breast Cancer Referral Waiting Times in Northern Ireland Remain a Concern

Waiting times for urgent breast cancer referrals in Northern Ireland continue to fall short of targets, with only a small percentage of women being seen within the recommended two-week timeframe. Even as improvements are being made, significant challenges remain in ensuring timely access to specialist care.

Current Waiting Time Statistics

Recent data released by the Department of Health indicates that, from October to December 2025, 3,902 patients were seen by a breast cancer specialist following an urgent referral across all five Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts. This represents a 44.6% increase compared to the previous quarter. However, only 5.5% of these patients were seen within the 14-day target, a slight decrease from 6.8% in the prior period. Belfast Telegraph

approximately one in 20 women referred urgently for breast cancer are currently seen within the two-week target. Figures from a previous quarter, reported in January 2026, showed that of 2,699 referrals, only 183 were seen within the 14-day window, with a median wait time of 56 days and the longest wait reaching 69 days. Press Reader

Regional Improvements and Challenges

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt acknowledges that Northern Ireland is “still some way short” of consistently meeting the 14-day urgent referral target. Despite this, he has welcomed the progress made in tackling waiting lists and highlighted the positive impact of the regional breast assessment system. This system aims to offer patients the earliest available appointment across Northern Ireland, regardless of their location.

The implementation of additional weekend and evening clinics is also contributing to improvements. The current waiting time for a breast assessment is now five weeks and two days, a substantial improvement from a peak of 12 weeks in September 2025. Belfast Telegraph

Cancer Waiting Time Targets in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has established several draft waiting time targets for cancer care, including:

• 31-day target: 98% of diagnosed cancer patients should receive first definitive treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat.
• 62-day target: 95% of patients urgently referred by a GP with suspected cancer should begin their first definitive treatment within 62 days.
• 14-day breast cancer target: All urgent breast cancer referrals should be seen within 14 days. NISRA

Data Collection and Reporting

The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust launched a modern electronic patient record system, ‘encompass,’ in November 2023. This system has since been rolled out to all HSC Trusts. Data sourced from ‘encompass’ is currently considered ‘official statistics in development’ and may not be directly comparable to previous data. Health NI

Looking Ahead

The Department of Health remains committed to improving cancer waiting times in Northern Ireland. Continued efforts to optimize the regional breast assessment system, expand clinic availability, and refine data collection methods are expected to contribute to further progress. The long-term goal is to consistently meet the ambitious 14-day target for urgent breast cancer referrals.