Latest news with #Westmead
ABC News
26-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Doctors at Westmead Hospital to hold vote of no confidence in health district chief executive, amid delayed cancer scans
Doctors at Sydney's Westmead Hospital are calling for their chief executive to stand down over allegations of patient safety concerns and delayed cancer diagnoses. In a letter sent to hospital staff, the Medical Staff Council said it plans to hold a vote of no confidence in Western Sydney Local Health District's chief executive, Graeme Loy, on Thursday evening. Senior doctors say for the past five years they have raised concerns about unacceptable clinic wait times for routine scans that can detect preventable cancers, with some patients waiting up to three years. "You will be aware that the [Medical Staff Council] has advocated for many years for improvement in patient care including excessive delays in clinic review, procedures and surgical admissions," deputy chair of the Westmead Medical Staff Council Jenny King wrote in the letter. "This has been a particular concern for those patients with a positive faecal occult blood screen. "The issue of failure to provide care for those patients at high-risk malignancy has long been documented," Dr King wrote. Western Sydney Local Health District, Health Minister Ryan Park and NSW Health have been contacted for comment. The revolt among staff came after the dismissal of Westmead's head of gastroenterology department, Jacob George, last week, who raised concerns with management about the lengthy wait times. One senior doctor at Westmead, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, believed Professor George's dismissal was retaliation for speaking out. "For many years we have been struggling to have our concerns listened to, and the executive has been aware," the doctor said. The ABC understands wait times have impacted cancer diagnosis screenings in several departments including cardio, renal, dermatology and gastroenterology. The senior doctor said the delays could mean hundreds of patients who have cancer are in the dark about their disease, or receive late diagnoses. "It's a major risk and it's something we shouldn't be letting people down on," the doctor said. "If you have a possible cancer, we like to get a colonoscopy done within 30 days, but patients are waiting months, and the risk is the cancer has disseminated." Kathryn Austin, Australian Medical Association NSW president, said the issues were symptomatic of a lack of investment in staffing in public hospitals. "There has not been the investment in workforce that we need and the workforce is who deliver the care to patients," she said. "It's a sad state of affairs that it's come to this point and the clinical concerns haven't been addressed." A vote of no confidence has no binding power and does not mean Mr Loy will be dismissed from this role if passed. But the senior doctor said the significance of an unanimous vote would be hard to ignore. "If we don't win, the whole of public health is threatened," the senior doctor said.
ABC News
17-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Mother calls for change after daughter with intellectual disability told to wait five months for CT scan
One of Imogen's favourite games is to play doctor with her teddy. As she pretends to take a blood sample, it is clear how familiar she is with being reassured during medical procedures. "It's OK Teddy, it doesn't hurt," she tells a knitted bear fitted with a cannula. The five-year-old knows what it is like being scared of needles, hospitals and health workers. Imogen lives with a rare condition, which involves intellectual disability and profound hearing loss. To prepare for medical procedures, her parents use games, toys and stories. But nothing they have tried works when it comes to CT scans. Her mum Ineke once managed to get her into the room at Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney, where the scanner was decorated with colourful fish to reassure young people. "It was just too overwhelming. Even though she desperately wanted to try, she was not able to," Ineke said. So when their ear nose and throat specialist had concerns a mass may be growing in her middle ear, a scan under anaesthetic was ordered. Ineke was shocked when she was told her daughter would have to wait five months for the procedure. Do you have a story to share? Email More than 450,000 Australians live with intellectual disability, according to government data. People with intellectual disability die on average 27 years earlier than the rest of the Australian population and have double the preventable death rate, according to research from UNSW's National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health. A review into deaths of people with disability in care in Queensland also found "many people [were] not diagnosed with the condition that led to their death until either just before their death or at autopsy." Cathy Franklin, a researcher with the Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability and Autism Health, said there was not enough support for people with intellectual disability in the medical system. She said even having a simple procedure like a blood test could be challenging for this community and the people who cared for them. Accommodations that can help make it possible for a person with intellectual disability to undergo a medical procedure include role play or visual stories that explain the smells, sensations, sounds and movements to expect. Dr Franklin said only a few medical centres across Australia do this and are generally set up to accommodate children. "In most parts of Australia, there's simply nowhere to refer if someone with intellectual or developmental disability needs a blood test under sedation or even just with additional psychological support," she said. It took several weeks and many phone calls before Imogen's mum was able to secure an appointment for her CT scan under a general anaesthetic. When her GP saw the results, the family was told to take her straight to hospital. The radiologist's report noted the bones in her middle ear were "almost completely eroded" and other parts were facing "near complete obliteration". Within 48 hours, Imogen underwent urgent surgery to remove the rapidly advancing growth. "That there could have been even more serious consequences is really scary." Ineke said the family was grateful for the care Imogen received over the years across multiple hospitals, but lamented it often fell on individual healthcare workers to ensure her daughter received the care she needed. She has written to NSW Health asking for an increase to the number of days allocated to medical imaging under anaesthetic, worried that others were missing out on the kind of care Imogen received. "It was a near miss," Ineke said. "Many families, especially families who have kids with disabilities, don't have the time, energy or resources to be able to advocate in the way that I was able to." In a statement, NSW Health said it was "committed to providing safe, inclusive, person-centred care to people with disability". It said the decision to conduct imaging under sedation or general anaesthetic was based on the needs of the patient and in conversation with the treating practitioner, the patient, their families and in line with relevant policies. A statement from the Sydney Children's Hospital Network focused only on MRI scans. "All children and young people requiring an MRI scan, with or without general anaesthetic, are triaged and prioritised based on clinical need, with the most urgent cases always seen first," a spokesperson said. "Parents are given an estimated timeframe for an MRI scan, however, this timeframe may change based on a child's clinical assessment," they said. "For children who do require general anaesthetic, MRI sessions are held five times a week, with emergency sessions run on weekends, as required. There is no anticipated change to the service." If a parent feels their child's condition has worsened, they can contact their child's treating team so a clinical review can take place, the spokesperson added.
ABC News
12-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Low influenza and COVID vaccination rates spark concern as flu season kicks off
The number of Australians vaccinated against influenza is "worryingly low", health experts say, as new data reveals the winter flu season has begun. Since mid-May, flu cases have increased in most parts of the country, following a record-breaking number of infections earlier in the year that had recently plateaued. At the same time, COVID-19 infections have begun to climb, while cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have steadily increased since the start of 2025. "We had an early bump [in flu cases] that seemed to flatten out, but it really does look like the season is kicking off," Phillip Britton, an infectious diseases physician at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, said. So far, more than 109,000 cases of flu have been reported in 2025, most of which have occurred in children under 10 years. Flu vaccines are recommended from April onwards each year in time for the peak flu season, which is typically June to September. While flu vaccination is recommended for everyone aged six months and older, just a quarter of Australians have received a flu jab this year. Among children aged six months to five years, who are at increased risk of serious complications from influenza, only 15.9 per cent are immunised. "That really is concerning," Dr Britton said. "We've already had a small number of children with very severe influenza in intensive care, and we're expecting now … that those cases are going to become more frequent." Current flu vaccine coverage in children, although similar to rates this time last year, is less than half of what it was five years ago. Vaccine uptake is also lagging in other at-risk groups, Australian Medical Association president Danielle McMullen said. Just over half of Australians over 65 have received a flu jab this year. "We are particularly concerned by vaccination rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which have declined across all age groups," she said. Each year, on average, seasonal flu results in 3,500 deaths and 18,000 hospitalisations. Dr McMullen said a reduction in COVID-19 booster rates this year compared to last year was also "alarming". In the past six months, just 26.2 per cent of people aged 75 and older have received a COVID-19 booster, down from 39.9 per cent this time last year. While the risk of dying from COVID-19 is now much lower than it was at the beginning of the pandemic, it still poses a significant risk to older Australians, and remains the leading cause of death from acute respiratory infection. "New COVID-19 strains continue to circulate leading to increased hospitalisations, making regular boosters essential for maintaining protection against severe illness," Dr McMullen said. Mater Health infectious diseases physician Paul Griffin said the new NB.1.8.1 COVID variant appeared to be "more infectious and a little bit immune evasive", and may explain the recent uptick in COVID cases. "That's what we've seen in a few countries already, and looks to be, whilst early days, what is potentially happening here," Professor Griffin said. "The concerning thing is the overlap with the other viruses — flu and RSV — which is a very significant burden of respiratory infections for us to have to manage." While some people consciously choose not to get themselves or their children vaccinated, research shows the most common barriers to flu vaccination that parents report include feeling distressed when thinking about vaccinating their child, as well as barriers related to access and cost. Dr Britton said he believed a combination of vaccine fatigue "coming out of the pandemic" and complacency over the flu also meant many parents weren't taking up the opportunity. "That might be the case for some people, but as a doctor who works in a hospital, it is tragic to see children end up in intensive care … with a preventable infection." Yesterday, the federal government revealed plans to tackle declining childhood vaccination rates with the launch of a new immunisation plan. The National Immunisation Strategy sets a goal of increasing immunisation uptake around Australia over the next five years by reducing vaccine hesitancy and improving access. Among adults, research shows there is a significant gap between vaccine intention and action: many more people want or intend to get a yearly flu vaccine than end up doing so. In Australia, the flu vaccine is available through GPs, pharmacies (for people above the age of two), community health centres, and Aboriginal Medical Services. It is free for at-risk groups (however some providers may charge a consultation or service fee), which includes: Queensland and Western Australia are currently offering flu vaccines to everyone. "The flu vaccine isn't a perfect vaccine, but it really does work, and it's our best tool to protect people from severe flu," Dr Britton said. "If your child is under five or if your child has got any medical conditions that put them at risk, now is the time to get their flu vaccine." Dr Britton also encouraged pregnant women and parents of young children to take up the opportunity to protect their kids against RSV. While RSV causes mild illness in most people, it can lead to serious, life-threatening complications, particularly in infants and older adults. RSV immunisation is available and free for women who are 28 to 36 weeks pregnant, as well as infants under eight months whose mothers were not vaccinated, and infants up to 24 months of age who are at increased risk of severe illness. According to the Department of Health, more than 60,000 women have received an RSV vaccine since the program began in February, which has resulted in an almost 40 per cent drop in cases in children from last year. In addition to improving vaccination rates, Professor Griffin said there was a lot Australians could do to reduce the impact of respiratory illnesses. "Vaccinations are obviously the backbone of prevention … but it's also those simple things that reduce the risk of getting infected, including mask wearing, hand hygiene and so on," he said. "People think they're doing the right thing by coming to work or sending their kids to school when they clearly have respiratory symptoms. "The best thing people can do is stay home until they recover and limit that onward transmission."
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
My son's tummy ache turned out to be a rare and aggressive cancer - here's what I want every parent to know before it's too late
As a lively and energetic six-year-old boy, William Smith loved animals and music, he was a sports fan and had a passion for the police force. When he fell ill with an upset stomach and appeared lethargic, many parents would have just chalked it up to a benign, temporary illness. 'It would have been so easy to say it was a virus, but I just knew deep down in my gut that something was wrong,' William's mum Danielle told Daily Mail Australia. 'He was showing signs of separation anxiety, which wasn't like him, and I thought to myself, 'I really need to have this looked at and hopefully I'm just being a paranoid parent.' Tragically, Danielle's instincts were right and a devastating diagnosis was about to turn their world upside down. The mum-of-three took William to see their family doctor and she shared her concerns, so the doctor agreed to run a series of tests. Two days later they returned to receive the results. 'We were told 'you need to go home and pack a bag for William and yourself - we didn't know what that meant other than we knew one of the test results showed spots on his liver.' The family went to the Emergency department at Westmead Children's Hospital and after speaking with a doctor they met with an Oncologist. 'I remember him saying: 'I hope I'm the wrong doctor for you,' but explained that they needed to run more tests.' Initially the team thought it was lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, and tests showed that William had several tumours throughout his body, the largest being on his liver. 'The oncologist was showing the scans and was pointing out the tumours, they were all through his body. I just kept thinking how could there be this many tumours and we didn't know and how could there be this many tumours and William didn't know,' Danielle shared as her voice began to crack. 'He went down the scan and said 'this is William's heart', he scrolled down and said, 'this is the tumour on the liver.' I asked him to scroll back up because the primary tumour was bigger than his heart. How could it be bigger than his heart? 'That is the moment that killed me.' Yet despite learning that crushing information that would be impossible for any parent to hear, Danielle remained stoic and strong for William. 'You can't fall apart but so much happens so fast. When you've got your six-year-old who asks: 'Mum am I going to die?' — what do you say to your child in that moment? You have to protect your child and do the best you can. You just can't fall apart.' Nearly two weeks after being admitted to hospital and after William had already started chemotherapy treatment, he was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer that starts in the early nerve cells of the sympathetic nervous system. William's cancer was stage 4, high-risk and aggressive. What followed was a gruelling series of treatments for William, including six rounds of chemotherapy, two back to back bone marrow transplants that saw him put in isolation from the public for nine long months, radiation and immunotherapy. Around 18 months after treatment had begun, William was finally finished, but then in a cruel twist, a scan showed another tumour. 'It fell into a pattern at that point, another scan, another tumour, another scan, another tumour. This went on for a while,' Danielle said. In January 2018 we were away on a holiday on the coast there was about 30 of us making memories together and I knew that something wasn't right. I noticed that one of his eyes had turned and he wasn't looking straight. 'We had scans booked when we got home and at that point the oncologist had asked William to stay in the waiting room and he told me to prepare myself, I knew what he was going to say.' 'He was given 6 to 8 weeks. I had prepared myself that he was palliative, and I had got to a point but everything I had read said it would be six to eight months, so I assumed that we had that time. I can't even put that into words how I felt when I heard that prognosis. Pretty much eight weeks later he passed.' 'Despite knowing what was coming in those last eight weeks, if you were around him, you wouldn't have known, people couldn't believe he was so sick, he didn't let it show,' Danielle said. During his gruelling treatment, William was happy to share his experience with other children and families who were going through the same thing. 'He was very open and willing to talk about his experience. He talked to other children at the hospital and was very willing to advocate on what he was going through. My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and they would talk together about it.' Danielle and her two eldest children were inspired by William to help other children and their relatives who were battling cancer and raise funds for the Kids With Cancer charity by hosting the annual Gold Ribbon Ball. 'It gives purpose to why William was here. We would struggle to deal with something so terrible happening to us without it, so the three of us definitely use it as a healing technique and way of coping with our grief,' she said. This month, to recognise what would have been William's 16th birthday, Danielle is raising awareness for the charity's Care Packs 4 Kids campaign. The bespoke gift boxes contain sweet and savoury snacks, puzzles and activities and a hand-written inspirational note. The packs are offered to oncology patients each time they attend a children's hospital across Australia. 'Time in hospital is long and whether you're there for a day visit or a longer stay it's really hard to keep your child entertained. The care packs provide that bit of distraction but it also hits home that there is somebody out there that cares with the handwritten notes,' Danielle explained. 'Something so small can make a big difference and even if it's just for five minutes that the child forgets about their cancer or their treatment, it's like five years for the parents.' Given what Danielle and her family went through, the Sydney mum is well placed to share advice to families who find themselves in a similar situation. For those who might be going through a possible cancer diagnosis she said, 'My advice would be to advocate for your child and to voice how you feel, voice what your concerns are.' Danielle admits it was 'hard' for her to accept help from others in the period following William's diagnosis. 'It took me a good few months to accept the support and to advocate for him and ask all of the questions. The community is incredible and there were so many lovely people there for us, I want to pay it forward.' 'I think if William was with us today he's be joining in the fundraising, he'd probably be leading it and driving it. I think he'd be proud.' To support the Kids With Cancer or to donate to the Care Packs 4 Kids campaign, click here.
