Figures Show Delay To BreastCheck Services

The health minister Wicklow TD Stephen Donnelly says the focus has to be on 'ruthlessly' bringing down waiting times for all non-COVID care which has been impacted by the pandemic.

It comes as BreastCheck appointments in its current round of screening are delayed by up to a year.

The BreastCheck service was paused on two occasions due to lockdown restrictions and a re-routing of frontline staff into COVID care.

However, warning signs of the detrimental impact appear to be coming to fruition, with appointment delays now of up to a year.

The screening service is for women who are between the ages of 50 and 69 years old and whom are NOT showing symptoms of breast cancer.

The Labour party says COVID-19 can't distract from current issues around the recruitment and the retention of radiographers and radiologists.

BreastCheck says it is prioritising women who have been waiting the longest, and those new to screening.