Tasmanian man may wait up to a year for procedure after positive bowel cancer screen
A Tasmanian man faces a 6-12 month wait for an urgent colonoscopy despite a positive bowel cancer screening result. The state health department cites high demand for endoscopy services as the primary cause for these delays.
Why it matters
Delayed diagnostic procedures for cancer can lead to poorer patient outcomes and highlights systemic issues in public healthcare accessibility.
Tony returned a positive result from a bowel cancer screening kit in June. ( ABC News: Morgan Timms )
A Tasmanian man has been told he could wait between six to 12 months for a colonoscopy despite being on an urgent wait list, following a positive bowel cancer screening result.
Bowel Cancer Australia says timely detection is important, with the majority of bowel cancer cases treated successfully if picked up early.
The Tasmanian Health Department says demand for endoscopy services has grown, and several initiatives have been implemented to improve access across the state.
Link copied Share Share article When Tony* returned a positive test result in June from a bowel cancer screening kit, he was told by his doctor that he would be put into the most urgent category for a colonoscopy.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in