Frozen meals cooked by his partner are the only creature comforts that remind pensioner Jeff Craven of home while he lives in a Sydney hostel so he can get timely cancer treatment.
Mr Craven will be away from his Dunbogan home, 370 kilometres north of Sydney, for seven weeks to receive treatment for tongue and tonsil cancer.
He said the alternative was to wait six weeks while the Mid North Coast Cancer Institute in nearby Port Macquarie replaced one of its two linac accelerators, which is a radiation machine.
"It'd be so much easier to come home, lay on your own lounge, lay in your own bed, have your own bathroom, kitchen," Mr Craven said.
"We're not happy to find out that there's a whole bunch of other people who are in the position that we are."
NSW Health told the ABC in a statement that the machine needed to be replaced as it had reached the end of its 10-year lifespan.
The Mid North Coast Local Health District said in a statement that planning for the replacement began mid-last year, and that the institute's staff had been aware one machine at Port Macquarie would be operational during the three-month works between April and June.
It said referring specialists and existing oncology patients were notified earlier this year.
But Mr Craven's surgeon, Carsten Palme said he received a letter — seen by the ABC — notifying him of the replacement three weeks before the major works.
The letter noted that the effects of the reduced capacity and existing waitlists were expected to be felt until the end of the year.
Professor Palme is the director of head and neck surgery at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, a not-for-profit cancer hospital.
He also works with the hospital's outreach program that operates in regional areas such as Port Macquarie.
While financial assistance for regional patients who need to travel is available through the state government's Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme, Professor Palme fears the cost and inconvenience of travel will result in some patients delaying their cancer treatment.
"I think this is going to really be a step backwards, and I think it's a problem that could have been prevented," he said.
Cancer patients 'can't afford delays'
The Mid North Coast Local Health District said affected patients could be referred to nearby Coffs Harbour and that it would offer patients extended treatment times in Port Macquarie, including on Saturdays.
But Professor Palme said Mr Craven was unable to get a referral to Coffs Harbour or Newcastle due to full waiting lists.
In a statement, the health distict's chief executive, Stewart Dowrick, said the works would have minimal effect on patients deemed high priority.
"Unfortunately, some lower acuity patients may have to wait longer for their treatment," Mr Dowrick said.
Professor Palme questioned why the health district hadn't taken a more collaborative approach by working with organisations such as Lifehouse ahead of the machine's replacement to ensure the "status quo" was maintained.
"I would think that before you're going to shut down services, you need to think outside the square," he said.
"It might just be a one-off, but explain that to the patients whose outcome has been significantly disadvantaged," he said.
Machines reaching end of life
Other linac machines are scheduled for replacement across regional NSW.
NSW Health said a new linac would be installed at Lismore Base Hospital after an upgrade at Tweed Heads Hospital was complete, but it didn't confirm when.
Another is planned at Tamworth Hospital before June 30, according to the service agreement between the Hunter New England Health District and NSW Health.
Health authorities have declined to confirm to the ABC whether the works had been completed.
Mr Craven said he hoped sharing his experience could lead to fewer disruptions to treatment and keep patients closer to home during scheduled maintenance.
He and Ms Mangan were grateful Lifehouse was covering their accommodation near the hospital and that they had been able to access support for some travel costs.
But Ms Mangan said it had taking an emotional and financial toll.
"At the end of the day, it's only for seven weeks so you just grin and bear it," she said.
