Covid-19: Belfast Trust to cancel some cancer surgeries

Some cancer surgeries in Belfast are being cancelled due to Covid-19 pressures, BBC News NI has learned.

The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust says it is working to reschedule the procedures as soon as possible.

The trust has not confirmed exactly how many patients are affected but has apologised for what it says has been an "extremely difficult decision".

Cancer surgery is continuing in the Northern and Southern trusts, BBC News NI understands.

But it is understood one cancer-related procedure due to take place in the South Eastern Trust area this week has also been cancelled.

In a statement, the Belfast Trust said: "Regrettably, the Belfast Trust has made the difficult decision to cancel some cancer related procedures which we are currently working to reschedule as soon as possible.

"Covid-19 admissions continuing to rise has put increasing pressures on hospitals, which led to the trust taking the extremely difficult decision to cancel surgeries in order to expand our support teams caring for Covid-19 patients.

"We do not underestimate the anxiety and distress this causes patients and families affected and we sincerely apologise for this."

The decision to cancel any cancer surgery is a significant step.

It comes just a month since Health Minister Robin Swann published a three-year recovery plan for rebuilding cancer services post-pandemic. Surgery in cancer can be time-critical - the speed at which a patient gets their procedure may have an impact on their prognosis.

Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew, who has recalled Stormont's health scrutiny committee for a meeting on Thursday morning, described the situation as "concerning".

He said: "It raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the planning.

"I think it's incumbent on the department and on the trusts to work together to protect these surgeries and to work in a way to allow this vital work to continue.

"We are already dealing with some of the worst waiting lists anywhere on these islands - we cannot allow those to be significantly impacted as a result of poor planning.

"We need to see effective planning to protect these key surgeries."

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said they "deeply regret the rescheduling of any surgery and recognise the deep distress caused to patients".

"Unfortunately, we have witnessed a rapid rise in Covid-19 hospital inpatients and ICU occupancy over recent weeks," the department said.

"This has been combined with very significant ongoing unscheduled care pressures, putting our hospitals under immense pressure.

"In this context, the cancer surgery postponements are unavoidable."

They said they remain committed to the aim of maximising elective surgery across the region and the position will be kept under review.