The Otago Daily Times revealed last week that the radiation oncology treatment list had risen to 132 people, worryingly close to the record peak of 157 people it reached 16 months ago.
That 2020 figure was too many people waiting too long as far as the Te Aho o Te Kahu Cancer Control Agency (CCA) was concerned, and it intervened to assist the then Southern District Health Board (SDHB) to get the waiting list back below 100.
The Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) board met on Friday and chief executive Fepulea’i Margie Apa said southern cancer waiting lists were "top of our concerns".
CCA, which was established by the Government as part of its response to the late Winton farmer Blair Vining’s petition to Parliament which called for provision of better cancer treatment services, helped the SDHB by identifying patients who had experienced significant delay.
It then assessed the impact of the delay on their health and wellbeing, and identified what options were available to ensure they were treated, given that they were patients who had been meant to be given high priority.
The agency had just released a review of wait times, which the board had not yet had time to consider, Ms Apa said.
"There are certainly national-level conversations about how we need to support additional radiation oncology capacity across the country ... we know that we have a workforce challenge, hence why we have invested in additional targeted workforce development for radiation oncology."
However, other initiatives would be needed as those people would not be able to start work for another couple of years, Ms Apa said.
Earlier, HNZ Southern interim regional director Hamish Brown said that the waiting list remained within "acceptable standards", but echoed Ms Apa’s statement that availability of radiation oncologists was driving waiting times.
At present, urgent referrals can take up to three weeks to be seen rather than a week as per normal, while less urgent appointments can wait between six and 10 weeks, rather than the recommended maximum of four weeks.
The Cancer Society said that the rising wait times were extremely disappointing and added to people’s stress.
Meanwhile, the first southern "locality network" — the bodies intended to provide advice to Health New Zealand about specific health needs in their community — looks poised to be unveiled.
Nine prototype localities have already been established around the country, but none in Otago or Southland.
Localities are still being designed and the prototypes are expected to help crystalise how the new system will work.
HNZ chairman Rob Campbell said the board had reviewed how locality formation was progressing, and that other localities were going to be established.
"There are quite a number in stages of development ... we have an obligation to have the localities roll-out completed by mid-2024 and we want to give more guidance to people about what sort of areas should be covered."
The ODT understands that a Southland locality was very close to being approved as a prototype, and that part of the province is one of the follow-up areas being considered.
An SDHB transition strategy released in June suggested the board could be replaced by 10 or more localities.
