Backlog in cancer test results for Kilkenny patients cause of 'great concern' - Taoiseach

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it 'is a matter of great concern to me and the Government' that approximately 6,000 people in the south east have been waiting several months for laboratory test results, including patients from St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny. 

Work is underway to reduce a backlog in the reporting times for routine histopathology specimens in South East Regional Laboratory Service based in University Hospital Waterford (UHW). The backlog currently is in the reporting of routine samples between September 2022 and February 2023.  

Histopathology services are based in UHW and all samples are sent directly there from General Practitioners and the hospitals in the region, including Tipperary University Hospital (TippUH); St. Luke’s General Hospital (SLGH); Wexford General Hospital (WGH); Kilcreene Orthopaedic Hospital; and Ely Hospital.  

Speaking in the Dáil the Taoiseach said the backlog ' is below the standard of care that we seek to provide'.

Delays for cancer test patients in Kilkenny and South East 'absolutely devastating'

"I know that causes great anxiety for patients and runs the risk of delayed diagnoses and poorer outcomes, even though the samples are based on routine tests and are not urgent. While the risk is small, and we want to reassure people of that, it is not negligible. That people should have to wait several months for the result of any test is below the standard of care that we seek to provide.

"The hospital group has confirmed that corrective measures have been put in place, and the hospital has confirmed that all urgent samples have been, and continue to be, processed without delay. Corrective actions include the transfer of histopathology samples and reporting to other laboratories, additional histopathology reporting sessions by consultant pathologists in Waterford, the engagement of agency medical scientists and additional sessions by medical scientists in the hospital. Further additional resources are required, though, to meet the demand for the vital regional service. Approval for the recruitment of additional consultant histopathologists has been granted," he said.

A  serious incident management team, involving both the South/Southwest Hospital Group and the Ireland East Hospital Group, has been established to ensure all available supports are provided to the hospital to manage the backlog and involves samples being taken to other laboratories in other hospitals where they can be reported on.

UHW, the South/South West Hospital Group and Ireland East Hospital Group would like to apologise for any anxiety or distress this delay is causing to patients and wish to reassure patients that we are making progress in reducing this backlog. Any patient who may be negatively impacted by this issue will be informed.