Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer has appealed to the public to respond to the consultation on breast cancer assessment services.
In an unusual step, Dr Michael McBride stressed that “no change is not a realistic or responsible option”.
Last month, the Department of Health extended the consultation period as doctors and the public spoke out about any potential change to the service.
The consultation has been open since March.
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The current proposals contain four recommendations which the department says will deliver “positive benefits for patients and the staff who deliver vital service”.
Anxious delays
As chief medical officer, Dr McBride is known to speak out on public health issues.
This however is a direct appeal to the public to get involved in the consultation.
“We would stress that no change is not a realistic or responsible option,” said Dr McBride.
“In the past 10 years, despite herculean efforts by staff across all Trusts, there have only been twelve months in which services have been able to meet the 14-day target in Northern Ireland.
“In the past five years, we have only met it in two months.
“Unless we make changes, increasing numbers of women will face long anxious delays in finding out if they have cancer.
“We simply cannot tolerate such a situation.”
Transfer of services
Last month a former doctor at the breast surgery unit in Belfast City Hospital accused the Department of Health of not being open and transparent around the detail included in the current breast assessment consultation.
In an interview with BBC News NI, Dr Gwyneth Hinds, said she and other cancer consultants are strongly against the possible transfer of breast assessment services from the Belfast City Hospital to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, County Down as outlined in the document.
There has been a proposal for services to be transferred away from Belfast City Hospital
The Department of Health has published proposals which could see the service withdrawn from Craigavon Area Hospital and the Belfast City Hospital and instead be located on three hospital sites at Altnagelvin, Antrim Area or the Ulster Hospital.
Stretching services
Dr McBride said services or staff could not be stretched too thinly across Northern Ireland.
“The proposals are also about strengthening services for the future, in anticipation of increased demand for breast assessment,” he said.
“A surge in the incidence of cancer is projected for forthcoming years, reflecting the growing older population in our society.
“It would be irresponsible to avoid decisions now, in the knowledge that services could be overwhelmed in future by an inability to cope with demand.”
The consultation is open until 19 July 2019. People can read the proposals and submit their views through the Department of Health website.
This article originally appeared on BBC News
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