People putting off GP visits due to costs, says study

Two in five people in Munster put off going to the GP or hospital because they couldn’t afford to go, new research commissioned by the Irish Cancer Society has shown.

The study of 1,000 adults highlights that healthcare and cancer care in particular will be a key issue for voters in the General Election.

Last year, 1,164 people in Cork died due to cancer, and every year in Cork, roughly 2,850 people are diagnosed with cancer.

Key findings from the Healthcare Access survey found that in Munster, three in 10 people in Munster are not confident they can access cancer diagnostic services and three in 10 waited so long that they paid privately for care instead.

Four in five people in Munster think that health and healthcare will be a factor in their voting intention, just one in five people believe the Government has invested enough in cancer services, and nine in 10 people said there was a need for the Government to recruit more healthcare staff. The Irish Cancer Society is calling on the next government to prioritise health and cancer care, by fully funding the National Cancer Strategy, reducing the cost of cancer through abolishing hospital car parking charges and providing automatic entitlement to a medical card.

They are also asking them to legislate on the Right to Be Forgotten for cancer patients so they do not have to disclose their cancer diagnosis after five years, with independent oversight and penalties for companies who breach this right.

Averil Power, CEO, Irish Cancer Society said: “More needs to be done in the next government to improve patient outcomes and to ensure everyone who receives a cancer diagnosis can access the best possible care, without financial barriers.

“Early detection is crucial to saving lives —people should not be forced to choose between putting food on the table or accessing healthcare.” People can support the Irish Cancer Society’s call for the next government to improve cancer care and supports, by signing the Society’s petition at cancer.ie/petition.