Page 941 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 17 March 2010

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(d) there was a breakdown in communications between units within ACT Health and between ACT Health and patients;

(e) delays in receiving radiotherapy can have a negative effect on treatment outcomes;

(f) the additional stress and anxiety caused by being separated from family and other support networks can potentially exacerbate the side effects of the radiotherapy treatment;

(g) the financial burden placed on patients who are required to reside interstate while receiving treatment;

(h) there are staff shortages in ACT Health radiotherapy as a result of at least six recent resignations; and

(i) despite being alerted to the situation by the media on Friday, 26 February 2010, when interviewed on Tuesday, 2 March 2010 the Minister for Health was unable to explain key aspects of what had gone wrong, nor how many patients were required to travel interstate for treatment;

(2) calls on the Minister for Health to:

(a) explain:

(i) the cause of the communication breakdowns that occurred within ACT Health and between ACT Health and patients suffering from cancer;

(ii) what action she has taken to ensure that the breakdowns in communication have been resolved and will not occur again; and

(iii) why at least six radio oncology staff resigned at short notice; and

(b) clarify when all patients suffering from cancer in the ACT will be treated in the ACT; and

(3) condemns the Minister for Health for failing to:

(a) manage the ACT Health portfolio effectively;

(b) ensure that communication procedures in ACT Health are effective; and

Mr Speaker, today we find ourselves here speaking again on another failure in the ACT health system. It is a sad occurrence and it is something that calls to our attention the broader implications of what is actually happening in health. Today what we are focusing on specifically is a failure in radiotherapy where patients suffering from cancer in Canberra have been forced to travel interstate for that treatment.

I understand that that is affecting 27 people currently. Those people have been told that their choice is either a three-month wait for radiotherapy or to go interstate for six

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