Patients waiting for urgent breast cancer consultations and initial treatment now have the option of going to a specialist hospital in the UK.

Manx Care, which now runs health services, has secured the services of Spire Murrayfield Hospital, Wirral, to help reduce the waiting times for breast cancer patients.

Patients who are seen at this hospital should get faster access to treatment.

It will also reduce the overall waiting list, which currently exceeds the two-week wait standard, whilst a solution is put in place to increase capacity for breast services at Noble’s Hospital.

Appointments for a breast ’one stop’ triple assessment at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital will begin next week and their first appointment will mirror the assessment delivered on the island. This approach should help Manx Care ensure that new referrals for suspected breast cancer will be seen within the 14 day standard by the end of September.

Teresa Cope, chief executive of Manx Care, said: ’Manx Care has not been able to consistently achieve to two-week wait standard for urgent suspected breast cancer referrals and this is not acceptable.

’Using the services of the team at Spire Murrayfield Hospital will allow us to focus on reducing our current waiting list whilst allowing us to establish a sustainable breast screening and treatment service that meets the needs of people living in the Isle of Man.

Manx Care will manage the ’care pathway’ of all patients and work closely with the teams at the UK hospital.

Any additional care and support will be provided by the breast care team at Noble’s Hospital.

Professor Partha Vaiude, Manx Care’s clinical director for cancer services, added: ’It’s important we detect potential cancers at the earliest opportunity and this additional capacity is vitally important whilst we make progress with recruiting to key clinical roles that will help us to establish a sustainable breast service for the island.

’As part of the broader transformation programme being delivered across the island’s cancer services, the breast service will be scrutinised in detail for both quality and sustainability.

’This process will commence in the next few weeks.’

Manx Care has approved funding for an additional, permanent breast radiologist and another breast radiographer over the next few months and they also plan to recruit a full time breast surgeon.

Julie Stokes, Manx Breast Cancer Support Group, said: ’The Manx Breast Cancer Support Group is fully supportive of Manx Care’s plan to use the services of an off-island hospital to reduce the waiting list for urgent breast referrals, particularly a hospital with the reputation of Spire Murrayfield.’