Cancer patients flock to Australia

The continuing shortage of qualified radiation therapists has seen the Government pay out $616,000 to have 77 cancer patients treated in Australia in just three months, Parliament was told yesterday.

Associate Health Minister Ruth Dyson, answering questions on behalf of Health Minister Annette King, said the patients concerned were treated in Australia in the first quarter of this year.

The Government was using all available facilities in New Zealand and Australia to ensure patients were treated as quickly as possible, Ms Dyson said.

Even if trainee radiation therapists were prepared to spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week studying, there would still not be sufficient of them qualified to deliver the services required, she said.

"We cannot increase the capacity overnight. It is dependent on our ability to recruit staff."

The number of radiation therapists being trained had more than doubled; 38 therapists started training last year compared with 16 in 1999.

"We are still experiencing the cancer treatment capacity legacy inherited from the previous health system," Ms Dyson said.

However, National MP Lynda Scott said the Government should "get over its philosophical objection" to private healthcare and develop a public-private partnership so that patients could be treated in New Zealand.

"We could treat two to three times as many patients in New Zealand if Labour would drop its ideological bent and allow for more private involvement," Dr Scott said.

"The idea of sending patients to Australia was sold to the public as a short-term answer to growing cancer patient waiting lists.

"But that is fast becoming a painful and costly long-term policy."

- NZPA