Scan delays for cancer disappointing

Appalling low rates of cancer scanning in the South are a continuing disappointment, the Cancer Society says.

Fewer than half of Southern District Health Board patients receive elective MRI scans within the organisation’s 42-day target, and about a third of CT scan patients fail to be seen within that time.

Cancer Society Otago-Southland division acting chief executive Bob King said those numbers represented anxious people who needed treatment.

"And that number is not just one person, their families are also going through that wait with them," he said.

"It’s disappointing that this situation is ongoing and that spikes in backlogs seem to be a regular feature ... the numbers in this spectrum are quite appalling."

Mr King said he understood the delays in obtaining scans had affected waiting lists and at the moment about three times the usual number of patients were waiting to be seen.

"The wait just heightens the anxiety, these people know they are waiting for a diagnosis so that they can start treatment, and there is good evidence to suggest that early detection and then early access to treatment will produce a better outcome."

In 2019, the Cancer Society rang alarm bells about patients having to wait months longer than they should to receive potentially life-saving radiation treatment.

It raised similar concerns two months ago as delays caused by Covid-19 lockdown meant waiting lists were again creeping up.

"It came up in discussions recently that waiting lists were up again, which is obviously a concern for us," Mr King said.

"Our understanding is, that this time, it’s not down to machines or capacity, it’s down to availability of specialist staff, of whom there is a shortage, and difficulty of attracting and recruiting either full-time staff or locum staff."

Radiology staff are eagerly sought by all DHBs, and as with many other medical staff, the existing constraints around recruiting them have been heightened by Covid-19 travel restrictions.

"I know they used to do a lot of the management of radiology using locums, but that source has dried up and that has put pressure on existing staff," Mr King said.

"My understanding is that they just don’t have staff available to meet demand at the present time."

SDHB management regularly reports on performance of radiology scanning to the board, and have for several months flagged issues with the service meeting targets for various reasons, including mechanical issues with machinery.

The organisation has responded by fast-tracking the purchase of a new CT scanner, putting on extra scanning sessions, and is trying to hire additional staff.

The board also commissioned a 10-year radiology plan, which it will soon consider.

SDHB specialist services executive director Patrick Ng said the service’s performance against its target for planned scans to be completed within 42 days had been relatively static, apart from a seasonal dip in January.

In March 64% of CT scans had met that target, and just 45% of MRI scans.

"Addressing capacity in the radiology service has been a high priority for the DHB," Mr Ng said.

"Access to CT and MRI scanning at Dunedin hospital are the highest priorities for immediate resolution."

The extra diagnostic CT scanner for Dunedin was expected to arrive at the end of July or in early August, and the board was also considering options for increasing MRI scanning, he said.

mike.houlahan@odt.co.nz