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Indigenous waiting times for surgery 'far worse than official report suggests' Indigenous waiting times for surgery 'far worse than official report suggests'
(about 19 hours later)
Indigenous Australians have to wait far longer than their non-Indigenous counterparts for surgery, according to a report released on Friday, but the true extent of the problem could be far greater than the official data reveals.Indigenous Australians have to wait far longer than their non-Indigenous counterparts for surgery, according to a report released on Friday, but the true extent of the problem could be far greater than the official data reveals.
While it takes 140 days for Indigenous people to get cataracts removed, the wait for non-Indigenous people is only 90 days, the annual hospital statistics report shows.While it takes 140 days for Indigenous people to get cataracts removed, the wait for non-Indigenous people is only 90 days, the annual hospital statistics report shows.
Brian Doolan, chief executive of the Fred Hollows Foundation, warns that the figures are "deceptive" and when doctors went out to remote areas to remove cataracts for the foundation, they found the situation far worse.Brian Doolan, chief executive of the Fred Hollows Foundation, warns that the figures are "deceptive" and when doctors went out to remote areas to remove cataracts for the foundation, they found the situation far worse.
"Part of the problem we have is that the data is incomplete, for instance in the Top End we don't know the waiting times because the data is not collected," he said."Part of the problem we have is that the data is incomplete, for instance in the Top End we don't know the waiting times because the data is not collected," he said.
"In other areas the data is available for the people who make it on to the waiting list but what we found is waiting lists represent around about 50% of people who actually need the operation."In other areas the data is available for the people who make it on to the waiting list but what we found is waiting lists represent around about 50% of people who actually need the operation.
"So when we moved into central Australia we found there was a waiting list that at that stage was about 350 [Indigenous] people, but once we started to meet their needs [and] address the backlog, a whole other wave of people came on to the list.""So when we moved into central Australia we found there was a waiting list that at that stage was about 350 [Indigenous] people, but once we started to meet their needs [and] address the backlog, a whole other wave of people came on to the list."
Overall, the hospital report found the median waiting time in Australia was steadily getting worse from a 39-day wait for elective surgery in 2008-09 to 50 days in 2012-13. Overall, the hospital report found the median waiting time for elective surgery in Australian hospitals is 36 days, which has remained steady since 2009-10.
The Australian Capital Territory bucked the trend though with waiting times for elective surgery reduced from 74 days in 2008-09 to 51 in the past year.
Indigenous people are also disproportionately represented in the waiting times for knee replacement surgery, with the waiting time 297 days while non-Indigenous people waited 195.Indigenous people are also disproportionately represented in the waiting times for knee replacement surgery, with the waiting time 297 days while non-Indigenous people waited 195.
Doolan said language barrier was a key challenge, with many Indigenous Australians with cataracts living in remote communities simply not aware of the services available.

"The feedback we get from people who do have the cataracts removed is that it has an enormous impact on their quality of life, from their mobility to their ability to care for themselves," he said.		Doolan said language barrier was a key challenge, with many Indigenous Australians with cataracts living in remote communities simply not aware of the services available.

"The feedback we get from people who do have the cataracts removed is that it has an enormous impact on their quality of life, from their mobility to their ability to care for themselves," he said.
"It's as basic as being able to go to the toilet by yourself as opposed to waiting for someone to assist you.""It's as basic as being able to go to the toilet by yourself as opposed to waiting for someone to assist you."
To cut backlogs and waiting lists, the Fred Hollows Foundation runs intensive regional clinics where it organises Indigenous people from remote communities to gather in places like Alice Springs.To cut backlogs and waiting lists, the Fred Hollows Foundation runs intensive regional clinics where it organises Indigenous people from remote communities to gather in places like Alice Springs.
The foundation organises travel and accommodation and works with the local Aboriginal health services to find people who need the surgery.The foundation organises travel and accommodation and works with the local Aboriginal health services to find people who need the surgery.
"We also organise interpreters to tell them what's going on. If you don't speak English it's very hard to understand what's going on around you and you don't want somebody mucking around with your eye," he said."We also organise interpreters to tell them what's going on. If you don't speak English it's very hard to understand what's going on around you and you don't want somebody mucking around with your eye," he said.
Doolan sees it as a way of cutting the list and says the program has local as well as government support.Doolan sees it as a way of cutting the list and says the program has local as well as government support.
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