Our response to reports of disruption to pancreatic cancer services in Northern Ireland

Our Head of Scotland and Northern Ireland, Dawn Crosby, responds to reports of disruption to pancreatic cancer services in Northern Ireland.

Dawn Crosby, Head of Scotland and Northern Ireland at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said:

“Reports from Northern Ireland of ongoing disruption to the delivery of potentially life-saving surgery are very worrying, and our hearts go out to the patients and their loved ones affected.

“Pancreatic cancer has been an emergency for decades but the pandemic has exposed more clearly than ever before why people with the deadliest common cancer simply cannot afford to wait. More than half of people with pancreatic cancer tragically die within three months of their diagnosis – even in a ‘normal’ year.

“The NHS has worked exceptionally hard to manage COVID-19. However, it is clear that vital services for people with pancreatic cancer in some parts of the country have been, and remain, under pressure and are struggling to recover. It is imperative that action is taken to understand why that is happening and find solutions to prevent any treatment backlogs from increasing. It is vital that we now give the same focus and urgency to cancer care as we have done for Covid-19.”