Graham Wilson has survived cancer once before, but having to wait more than five months to determine if he’s got bowel cancer is now consuming his everyday life.
The 69-year-old was notified in February through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program his result was positive, and his specialist said he required a colonoscopy for further investigation.
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The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is a free test sent to Australians aged 50 to 74 years old.
A positive test result means there’s a high level of haemoglobin protein in the patient’s faeces, but isn’t always an indicator of cancer.
Bowel Cancer Australia recommends colonoscopies are carried out within 30 days after positive results are received, but more than five months since his referral, Wilson is still waiting for an appointment at Flinders Medical Centre.
“It’s the fear of the unknown when you go to bed every night,” Wilson said.
“Knowing that I’ve had cancer, and I was told when I had it 30 years ago it was an aggressive one … I’m thinking is a colonoscopy going to be good enough or are they going to have to take a section of my bowel?
“I now have to see a psychologist because I’m so stressed out.”
Wilson said his specialist and GP sent a total of five follow-up letters to the hospital, but they were all returned, and the doctors informed the letters were being sent to the wrong fax number.
“They said they were sending it to the wrong fax number, but it was actually the fax number Flinders Medical Centre gave,” he said.
When the 69-year-old decided to call the hospital and visit them in person, he was told they lost his medical records.
But about five weeks ago, Wilson was given an update that he was on the urgent waiting list.
“I’ve done all the chasing up I could possibly do, and I’m not getting anywhere,” he said.
Shadow Health Minister Ashton Hurn said she was aware of a number of others who were waiting longer than the recommended time for more tests.
“(Premier) Peter Malinauskas and (health minister) Chris Picton need to throw every single resource at this as much as they possibly can.”
The SA Government said it will investigate Wilson’s case, but pointed out the wait time for colonoscopies is less than 30 days for category one patients.
A spokesperson for the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network said a plan was underway to reduce the “long wait times” for gastroenterologist in outpatients.
“We have reduced waitlists significantly with a plan that will see no patient waiting outside their clinically recommended time by June 24.”
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