Mattie McGrath warns of soaring test backlogs and 'cancer growing'
Mattie McGrath raised alarm about growing diagnostic waiting lists and warned the backlog could cause deaths. He cited a reply from the Tánaiste giving specific figures and said the situation is 'shocking'.
Parliamentary figures cited
The Tánaiste replied to Mr McGrath's parliamentary question, stating there were 36,820 people waiting for a coronary in the country and a 59% increase in people waiting for a scope since the start of the pandemic. McGrath characterised those statistics as shocking and said he had asked for further figures, including how many people have become seriously ill while waiting.
Concerns about delayed cancer diagnosis
McGrath said Covid has consumed the health service, leaving hospitals largely closed to people and delaying basic diagnostic tests. He warned this delay amounts to "a cancer growing inside people" and predicted many deaths, suggesting that more may die as a result of delayed diagnosis than from Covid itself.
Response on service restoration
A responding deputy attributed increased waiting lists to the need to pare back non-Covid services and said there has been a significant rise in waiting lists for colonoscopies and OGDs. The deputy emphasised that patients with frank symptoms of cancer are prioritised but noted that less obvious symptoms can lead to delayed diagnoses.
HSE plan and the risk of a fourth wave
The responding deputy noted that the HSE published a detailed plan last week to restore non-Covid services in a stepwise fashion over the coming months. He warned that keeping the virus under control is essential, because a fourth wave would further impact other health services and delay restoration efforts.
Implications and outstanding questions
McGrath expressed frustration that no sufficient effort appears to have been made to tackle the backlog and reiterated his call for more data on the consequences of delayed care. The exchange closes with a focus on the need to balance Covid control with restoring routine diagnostic services.
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Les Concona, Tanaiste, a reply to my parliamentary question this morning told me that there were 36,820 people waiting for a coronary in the country and there was a 59% increase waiting for scope since the start of the pandemic. This is shocking figures. You talk here in Reims about vaccines and everything else but this is a cancer growing inside people and many, many people will die, probably more will die with it than will die with Covid. It's shocking. I've asked for figures too. the reason how many people have gone seriously ill since. It's truly shocking and there's no effort being made to deal with it. The hospitals are closed to people. Covid has consumed everything and it's shocking that this has carried on. Our health service was bad before, but it's shocking now that people have to wait for basic tests like that and people are dying and will die as a result of it. Deputy, Thornster. Deputy, as a consequence of Covid and as a consequence of the need to to pair back on Covid health services to keep people out of hospitals where they might pick up Covid, we have seen a very significant increase in waiting lists for colonoscopies and for OGDs. I think it is important to say that when somebody has the frank symptoms of cancer, they are prioritised, of course they are, but as is often the case with cancer, sometimes people's symptoms aren't frank and they aren't obvious and that can result in delayed diagnosis. But HSE published only last weekend, or last week rather, a very detailed plan as to how they're going to restore non-Covid services and do that in a stepwise fashion over the course of the next few months. But it's also why it's so important that we keep the virus under control and keep driving the numbers down. Because if we have a fourth wave, that will further impact on other services. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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