THERE are 18,384 outstanding outpatient appointments across the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, with some patients waiting as long as four years for a chance to see a specialist.
The confronting figure has prompted the service to undertake an urgent audit of wait lists.
Bayview Heights resident Paul Kenward is currently on three different waiting lists, and believes he needs several surgeries.
A foster father for disabled children, Mr Kenward said he urgently needed specialist attention to improve his quality of life.
“I have a cyst in my nasal passage which gives me migraines which I need removed, I have a mass in my breast tissue which needs assessment and I have been waiting to see the urology department for four years about some previous surgery complications,” he said.
“Then I got a letter asking if I still wanted my appointment … of course I do, I need it.”
Mr Kenward said he was yet to see a doctor, but had a telephone interview with a nurse based in Brisbane regarding his urology issues.
“I’m on the disabled pension … I feel completely failed by Queensland Health,” he said.
The CHHHS has 60 different specialisations, and on average received 4009 referrals a month for a specialist appointment during the 2013-14 financial year. But chairman of Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Board, Bob Norman admitted patients were waiting “longer for an elective outpatient appointment than we would like”, and said the hospital had taken steps to start reducing the list.
“The demand for outpatient services has increased significantly in recent years,” he said.
“To identify and improve the quality of our outpatient wait list data, the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service has begun a detailed audit.
“The audit is expected to be completed by the end of July.”
Letters have been sent to patients confirming their need for an appointment, and $2 million in funding has been allocated to reduce the outpatient waiting list.
A business practice improvement officer and a general practice liaison officer have been appointed as part of the audit process.
Source: Cairns Post