Distressing BBC Report on Northern Ireland Breast Cancer Delays

Dr Letizia Gulino, PhD  

Head of Science and Technology

The BBC’s newly published investigation exposes a system under severe strain: red-flag breast cancer patients in Northern Ireland waiting 8–10 weeks for assessment against a 14-day target, stage 2–4 cancers developing during delays, and a regional service so overwhelmed that even the Health Minister admits the pathways are “broken”. These failures are not isolated; more than 70% of cancer patients across Northern Ireland now miss critical 62-day treatment targets.

We (RMDM) believe that this situation demands constructive but unapologetically honest criticism:
The NHS cancer pathway, as currently organised, cannot meet the needs of the population. Increasing budgets alone does not address the underlying structural and capacity problems.

A new layer of population-level prevention and early detection must be urgently improved to take pressure off secondary care and protect patients from avoidable harm.

RMDM advocates for a national annual screening programme using PanTum Detect, our blood-based multi-tumour early detection tool, designed to identify cancer-associated immune and metabolic signals before symptoms arise, long before a woman must fight for a red-flag referral.

Our thoughts are focused on a constructive proposal that directly addresses the issues highlighted in the BBC report:

Reducing dependence on a red-flag system that can no longer cope with demand
If cancers are detected before symptoms, fewer women become emergency or urgent cases, competing for limited specialist appointments.

Providing an affordable, scalable screening model
PanTum Detect can be available through primary care and occupational health, enabling broad population coverage without adding pressure to hospital diagnostic services.

Bridging the inequality between UK regions
While England, Scotland and Wales maintain faster cancer pathways, Northern Ireland stands out with the UK’s worst waiting times. A national screening programme helps correct this disparity by offering uniform early-detection access, regardless of postcode.

Shifting from a reactive-only model to proactive cancer prevention
Clearly, the BBC report illustrates a system that intervenes late, after symptoms, after referral, after anxiety, too often after progression. RMDM’s approach supports a shift to predict, detect, prevent, not wait, triage, and react.

RMDM urges policymakers and the public to acknowledge a simple truth:RMDM urges policymakers and the public to acknowledge a simple truth: The NHS cannot fix cancer waiting times by reorganising pathways alone. Prevention and early detection must become core infrastructure.

Pilot integration of PanTum Detect in regions with the longest waiting times, beginning with Northern Ireland (first pilot program with PanTum).

– Annual, low-cost screening access through GPs, pharmacy networks, and community clinics.

– Collaboration with NHS trusts to evaluate how early screening alleviates bottlenecks and reduces urgent referral volume.

RMDM is ready to work with the NHS, clinical leaders, and government to ensure women in the UK are no longer left in limbo, no longer forced into private diagnosis out of desperation, and no longer told that life-saving appointments are delayed because “the pathway is broken”.

The present situation requires leadership. We intend to take our place in shaping a safer, more preventive future for UK oncology.

Reference:

BBC News. (2025, November 27). Delays in breast cancer diagnosis described as ‘traumatic’. BBC.

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