Regions failed on therapy
A NEW blood cancer treatment report reveals treatment inconsistencies for regional patients compared with their citybased counterparts.
The Leukaemia Foundation report found 41 per cent of blood cancer patients lived in regional areas and faced an average wait time of 30 days to see a haematologist.
Chief executive officer Bill Petch said the findings were cause for action.
“It’s certainly a watershed moment for blood cancer patients and should be concerning to everyone,” he said.
“We have a first-world health system but access is always going to be the key and if you can’t build equity to accessing the service then it’s of no benefit.
“Right now, every day, 41 Australians are told they have blood cancer and unfortunately 20 of those will lose their life to blood cancer.
“That’s one person every 36 minutes and by 2035, if we do nothing, that will have doubled.”
Mr Perch said blood cancer patients living in regional areas weren’t given the same access to treatment as those in metro regions due to a lack of qualified clinicians and limited treatment options.
“We want to improve access to best-practice therapies on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme but also access to emerging therapies,” he said. “Less than one in five people get access to a clinical trial and if you’re in a regional area that’s even harder.”
The Leukaemia Foundation has been appointed to a national blood cancer taskforce to help deliver Australia’s first National Strategic Action Plan for Blood Cancer.
Mr Petch said a report was due to be delivered to the Federal Minister for Health by May next year.