Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon has said patients desperately need an Assembly to help save the lives of cancer patients and to fund the new Cancer Strategy.

Speaking after an event in Stormont today campaigning for earlier screening of bowel cancer, the party’s health spokesperson said:

“Today I listened to the voices of patients, doctors and cancer charities pleading for the restoration of the Assembly to begin rolling out the new cancer strategy.

“The target for bowel cancer patients to begin treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral is 95%. We are currently sitting at a staggeringly low 17%.

“This is disgraceful and leads to patients being diagnosed in emergency departments as their symptoms have severely deteriorated while stuck on waiting lists.

“In the worst cases, people are dying prematurely as a result of late diagnosis. 

“Patients on waiting lists cannot wait. Cancer patients cannot wait. They need the Assembly and Executive restored now and parties working together to fix the problems in the health service, to tackle waiting lists and invest in services.”