A breast cancer survivor has criticised the Queensland Health Department for what she says is a lack of information and communication.
Sharyn Washington from Far North Queensland says waiting list data is being withheld, 20 months after she was referred for reconstructive surgery.
The mother-of-three from Mareeba, near Cairns, wants to move on from her cancer journey.
It’s been well over two years since she first felt a lump in her right breast, and 614 days since she underwent a mastectomy.
But the 40-year-old is still waiting for an initial consultation to undergo reconstructive surgery.
“I just want to have treatment completed and that be the end of it,” she said.
“Not knowing when it’s going to be, it’s really causing anxiety
“It’s hindering my ability to move forward.
“I’m not ashamed of my scar however there’s many women that can’t stand to look at themselves in the mirror and that would be very upsetting so I just want to speak out for them as well.”
Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said the situation was “outrageous” and called on the health authority to do better.
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“It’s not acceptable,” Ryan said.
“The health minister’s already on the record about this, about providing more data to Queenslanders around the performance of Queensland Health.”
Washington was told to expect her first consultation within 365 days, and the procedure a year or two later.
The Cairns Hospital Performance website shows only 43 per cent of patients in Washington’s category have waited within that timeframe this year.
Only the actual average wait time for category one patients is revealed.
“I’m not even sure how long the category three patients are supposed to be waiting for,” Washington said.
“The timeframe for waitlists need to be improved, communication with patients needs to be improved.”
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After writing to several politicians, including the health minister, Washington now has a meeting scheduled tomorrow with MP Shannon Fentiman in Mareeba.
