THE WAITING GAME
‘UNACCEPTABLE’: Urgent cases facing four times recommended delay
BARWON Health concedes some patients are waiting unacceptably long for specialist appointments – including almost quadruple the recommended time to see a gastroenterologist.
The average wait for patients referred to the gastroenterology clinic – and categorised as urgent – is about 115 days this financial year.
Those patients should be seen within 30 days.
Barwon Health surgical and critical care clinical director Simon Williams said waiting times had increased as a result of the pandemic.
BARWON Health concedes some patients are waiting unacceptably long for specialist appointments – including almost quadruple the recommended time to see a gastroenterologist.
The average wait for patients referred to the gastroenterology clinic – and categorised as urgent – is about 115 days this financial year.
Those patients should be seen within 30 days.
Barwon Health surgical and critical care clinical director Simon Williams said waiting times had increased as a result of the pandemic.
“We recognise that there is an unacceptably long wait for some patients from the time of a GP referral to a first appointment with one of our doctors at many of our specialty clinics,” Mr Williams said.
“There are a number of new initiatives under way, including employing more staff and increasing the number of specialist clinics and the number of appointments available, especially in areas of high demand, including gastroenterology.
“We are also investing in new equipment, procedure rooms and a clinic space to establish new dedicated clinics, including for ophthalmology and ear, nose and throat clinics, which will enable us to treat our consumers in a more timely period.
“This has been funded through the state government’s recent $5m announcement for a new specialist procedural hub.”
Australian Patients Association chief executive Stephen Mason said there was a shortage of specialists, particularly in regional areas.
“The shortage is resulting in delays,” Mr Mason said.
“If the patient is suffering from pain, unable to work or lacking mobility, this can have severe consequences for the patient and their loved ones.”
Royal Australasian College of Physicians president John Wilson said, unfortunately, there were long wait times in regional areas for some types of specialist care.
“This health inequity in rural and regional centres is unacceptable,” Professor Wilson said.
“We know we need more training places to support healthcare in regional areas – this is something the RACP has signalled as urgent.
“We need more specialist training places to build capacity in regional areas to make sure people living in these communities can get the specialist care they need.”
Prof Wilson said the RACP was calling on the government to increase regional specialist training positions.
“In the meantime, better access to video conferencing technologies and permanent specialist telehealth items will give people in regional and rural areas, and beyond, greater choice and flexibility in accessing specialists,” he said.