McGrath calls for life-saving bowel cancer screening expansion
SDLP MLA Colin McGrath has called on the Health Minister to urgently extend bowel cancer screening to people aged 50 and over, warning that people in South Down are being “left behind” compared to the rest of the UK.
Mr McGrath said the current system, which only routinely offers screening between ages 60 and 74, is failing to catch cancers early and is putting lives at risk.
He said: “Bowel cancer is one of the biggest killers here, yet we know that early detection saves lives. Right now, people across South Down, whether in Newcastle, Downpatrick, Warrenpoint and further, are missing out on vital opportunities to detect cancer earlier.”
Evidence shows that Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK not offering screening from age 50, meaning some people can miss up to five screening invitations compared to elsewhere.
Screening also uses a less sensitive test, increasing the risk of later diagnosis and poorer outcomes.
Mr McGrath added: “That inequality is simply not acceptable.
“People here deserve the same standard of care as anyone else across these islands. Extending screening to those aged 50 to 74 would mean more cancers are caught earlier, when treatment is far more effective.”
He also highlighted the pressure on local cancer services, noting that only a quarter of bowel cancer patients in Northern Ireland began treatment within the 62-day target this year(ie within the two moth target!)
The South Down MLA has backed calls for a fully funded, time-bound plan to lower the screening age, improve test sensitivity and invest in diagnostic services .
Mr McGrath said: “This is about saving lives. We need urgent action from the Minister to ensure people in South Down are not diagnosed too late, when it is often much harder to treat. The time to act is now.”
