Roger Sowry National Health Spokesperson

14 May 2002

Who is right over cancer treatments in Australia?

The Government has contardicted Mid Central Health saying it is able to send cancer patients to Australia for radiation treatment.

"Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia told Parliament that cancer treatment centres outside Auckland, Waikato and Wellington had not been excluded from sending patients to Australia for radiation treatment," Health Spokesperson Roger Sowry said today. .

"The Associate Minister seems blissfully unaware that the Ministry of Health has written to Mid Central Health refusing its request to send patients to Australia for the treatment.

"We need to know who is right here. If the Minister is now saying that Mid Central Health can send patients to Australia for treatment then that is good news as there is no reason why all the North Island patients serviced by this centre should be prevented from having this opportunity.

"Today cancer patient Ann Ward has been bumped up the waiting list for treatment after National bought attention to her case. We want to know why Stratford patient Jenny Gower waited more than 18 weeks for treatment, and while waiting needed a second operation which her surgeon said wouldn't be necessary if she had the treatment within the four week clinical guideline," Mr Sowry said.

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