What are the latest breast cancer referral figures for Northern Ireland?

Between July and September 2025, only 3.5% of urgent breast cancer referrals were seen within the 14-day target timeframe in Northern Ireland.

What are the targets for cancer treatment start times in Northern Ireland?

The government's draft targets aim for 95% of patients to start treatment within 62 days and 98% within 31 days of a decision to treat.

Home / Health / Urgent Cancer Referrals Delayed: 3.5% Seen on Time

Urgent Cancer Referrals Delayed: 3.5% Seen on Time

Q: Why are cancer waiting times in Northern Ireland so long?

Current delays are attributed to the early stages of transitioning to a new regional breast assessment service and the rollout of the Encompass digital system.

15 Jan

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Summary

Only 3.5% of urgent breast cancer referrals met the 14-day target.
30% of patients started treatment within 62 days, far below the 95% target.
A new regional service transition is blamed for short-term delays.

Urgent Cancer Referrals Delayed: 3.5% Seen on Time

Between July and September 2025, Northern Ireland saw only 183 out of 5,309 urgent breast cancer referrals met the 14-day target. This represents a mere 3.5% adherence to the government's goal. The health minister acknowledged these figures reflect an early phase of transitioning to a new regional breast assessment service, stating that while progress has been made, more work remains to be done. This transition, along with the rollout of the Encompass digital system, is cited as the cause for the short-term delays in meeting referral targets.

Further concerning statistics reveal that only 30% of patients began their first treatment within 62 days following an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer, a stark contrast to the government's draft target of at least 95%. While 81% began treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat, this also fell short of the 98% target, despite an increase from the previous quarter. These figures have been labelled "unacceptable" by Cancer Research UK, which calls for immediate investment and clear plans to boost clinical capacity.