Source: 9news.com.au<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Perth mother is calling on the State Government to address WA’s waitlist crisis after learning her daughter could be made to wait years for simple ear surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Madison fears her 19-month-old daughter Scarlett’s eardrum will burst and leave her with permanent deafness if it remains untreated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But a doctor told the family it could take more than a year for a consultation, and up to 18 months for the procedure as a public patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It actually hurts me every single day to see her suffering, knowing if I had the money she would be done in an instant,” Madison said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a private healthcare waiting list, she would only have to wait two weeks for the operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Health Department, 1,325 young patients were waiting for ear, nose or throat surgery at Perth Children’s Hospital at the end of May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1,149 of those were in the least urgent category, with the median waiting time sitting at 177 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Australian Medical Association WA President Dr Omar Khorshid said existing waiting times are unacceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The reality is it can take years to see a specialist doctor on referral from one of our public hospitals and especially when it comes to kids it’s just not acceptable, he said.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WA Health Minister Roger Cook said only 53 patients on the priority three waitlist had been waiting for longer than the clinically recommended period of 365 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“95% of all patients get seen within the clinically required period of time,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I don’t decide which patient falls within each category but obviously it’s important that we meet the needs of the patients.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an act of desperation Madison took out private health insurance she couldn’t afford, to fast-track Scarlett’s operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But she will still have to face a 12 month mandatory waiting period because the condition is pre-existing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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