Doctors and gynaecological cancer sufferers have breathed a big sigh of relief as the ACT government has signalled its intention to deliver a gynaecological cancer surgery unit in Canberra.
Canberra Health Services has advertised for a gynaecological oncologist but there is pressure to ensure the government follows through.
The advertisement came after sustained lobbying from a group of doctors who were fearful that Canberrans suffering from gynaecological cancers would face compromised care.
This is because a fortnightly clinic at Canberra Hospital, provided by the Royal Women's Hospital, is set to finish at the end of this year.
Dr Greg Robertson, who has been a visiting surgeon to Canberra for two decades, said he was stoked to hear the ACT government would seek to establish a service but he also expressed frustration at the process.
"Relief is an exact description but it is also tinged with a bit of sadness that it ever needed to come to this but it's a great relief and it's a desperately needed service so very timely," he said.
Dr Robertson said he would be watching closely to ensure the government delivered.
"It's actually making sure that they actually do deliver, I'm sure now that it has become a more public statement that it will probably come to fruition," he said.
Dr Robertson said the service will need additional staff including a psychologist and a dedicated clinical nurse consultant.
"It's not just one person, it really is a team and that's the important thing about setting up that team of people who can provide a good service across the board covering all facets," he said.
The Canberra Times revealed in June that time was running out to ensure women could access surgery for gynaecological cancers in the nation's capital.
Doctors had been lobbying the government to establish a clinic for three years and a specialist, Dr Leon Foster, was prepared to start the service.
More than 3000 people signed a petition calling for the establishment of the clinic.
"A big thank you to all the women who put their hand up and made it happen ... it's been a good community effort," Dr Robertson said.
Canberra's lack of a permanent service has meant women have had to travel to Sydney for gruelling surgeries as the fortnightly service has limited capacity.
At first the government was reluctant to fully commit to a service, with Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith saying authorities wanted to ensure there was sustained demand for a service.
But those involved with the clinic stressed there was enough demand. Dr Robertson said over the past fortnight alone there had been 17 new referrals.
Ms Stephen-Smith announced on Monday the government was advertising a position for a gynaecology oncologist. She said there needed to be a merit-based recruitment process.
"We've discovered there's an opportunity to have someone come in and deliver a gynaecological oncology service here in the ACT," she said.
"There's been some really strong advocacy from outside but there's also been some really clear internal work to understand whether we can sustain that kind of service here in the ACT."
Wendy Dodd, who has ovarian cancer, was delighted to hear the news of the permanent clinic. She said if there had been a clinic in Canberra it would have made life much easier for her in the post-operative period.
Ms Dodd has previously shared her story with The Canberra Times. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer earlier this year and had surgery in Sydney.
Following the surgery she faced complications but it took weeks before she found out what was wrong as she did not have access to the specialist care in Canberra.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
