Arabic version: أكثر من 65 ألفاً من سكان كانبرا ينتظرون مواعيد مع أطباء اختصاصيين

According to ABC News, about 65,000 people in Canberra are waiting for outpatient appointments with publicly funded medical specialists across ACT public hospitals. Canberra Health Services disclosed the figure publicly for the first time, and it represents more than 10 per cent of Canberrans waiting to learn whether they may also need to join a surgical waitlist.

Canberra grandmother Billie Spencer said her five-year-old granddaughter, who experiences excessive fatigue and struggles to stay awake and concentrate at school, faces a wait of more than three years for a public specialist appointment. The family chose private healthcare after waiting for months. Spencer said she believed quality healthcare should be available regardless of financial status and described the position of the public health system as frustrating and sad.

Michael Hickey said he had already waited more than four years to see a specialist for a genetic hand condition and was told he could wait another two and a half years. He said the condition was not debilitating, but made hobbies and everyday activities more difficult. Hickey said public waitlist figures should be known upfront so patients can make informed decisions about seeking private care.

Canberra Health Services completed nearly 18,000 elective surgeries in Canberra in the last financial year, according to government data. The service has launched a review of specialist and outpatient services following an independent inquiry into the territory’s health system that proposed 49 recommendations. Chief operating officer Alison Derritt said growing demand had created a “big number” of people waiting, calling extended waits unacceptable. Patients will be contacted in the next couple of months to assess their conditions and confirm whether they still need appointments, while the review may take weeks, months, or possibly up to 12 months.