‘The door has never been shut’ but federal funding for a Mount Gambier radiation treatment centre has been diverted

A cancer survivor has blasted an SA government decision to divert federal funds for a Mount Gambier radiation treatment centre, meaning patients will be forced to travel up to five hours for care.

More than 50 South East cancer patients are set to be forced to make a five-hour round trip interstate to Warrnambool to receive radiation therapy after a state government decision to divert federal funding to establish a local treatment centre in Mount Gambier.

After local health officials insisted the “the door’s never been shut” on a proposed Mount Gambier radiation treatment centre, the state government has instead confirmed a decision to use $4.3m in federal funding to build a cancer consultation suite after labelling the radiation proposal “unsuitable”.

The federal funding was part of a $63.4m package for 13 sites in need of new radiation therapy services, including Mount Gambier.

Instead of matching the federal funding to establish a local radiation service, the government confirmed designs for a “Integrated Cancer Consult Suite” were already underway, with construction expected to start in early 2024.

South East breast cancer survivor Michelle Riley said it was “disgusting” Mount Gambier was going to miss out on a treatment centre.

“I think that whoever it is that’s making that decision needs to go and sit in the chemotherapy unit here — and (see) how many people need this service in Mount Gambier,” she said.

Prostate cancer survivor Barry Thompson outside his home. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Mount Gambier resident Barry Thompson, 74, said to avoid weeks away from home hours away over the border, he chose to risk surgery over radiation therapy.

The prostate cancer survivor said because of his age, he was only a “borderline” candidate for surgery but could not make the trip away from home.

“Every time you have major surgery, you know you take a risk,” he said.

Mr Thompson said his post-op recovery was incredibly difficult and if given the option he would more than likely have chosen to do radiation therapy, had it been available in Mount Gambier.

Breast cancer survivor Michelle Riley outside her Mount Gambier home. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Ms Riley said her plight highlighted the dangers of being overly reliant on out-of-state treatment.

In March 2021, Ms Riley opted to head to Warrnambool by bus when her licence was temporarily disqualified on medical grounds for radiation therapy.

After being forced to stay in Victoria for more than double the amount of time than anticipated due to complications, Ms Riley said she did not know if she would be able to make it home.

Scheduled to leave on May 27, 2021 the same day Victoria went into lockdown due to Covid restrictions, Ms Riley nervously wondered if “there was even going to be a bus” home.

After she was diagnosed with cancer, Hailey was forced to spend eight weeks in a Warrnambool caravan park away from family receiving radiation treatment.

Health Minister Chris Picton has stood firm on the decision, saying the previous government's also knocked back the proposed tender to match federal funding to build a treatment centre, which required roughly $3m annually from the state government to support its “operating expense”.

“I am advised that the viability of building a radiation oncology bunker at Mount Gambier was considered under the previous Liberal government by the Limestone Coast Local Health Network Board,” Minister Picton said.

“I have not sought to change that conclusion.”

The government’s consultation suite will be built using the $4.3m in federal funding that was allocated towards a radiation centre, which was made available after a 2019 announcement from the then Federal Health Minister.

The new consultation suite will have several consult rooms with telehealth capability, an enlarged consult room for mobility impaired patients, a flexible consult treatment room for provision of complementary cancer treatments and a multidisciplinary workroom capable of accommodating up to 12 clinical staff.

Member for Barker Tony Pasin praised mother and daughter Leeanne and Hailey Tincknell who shared their horror story of being forced to stay in a caravan after travelling two hours for treatment in Warrnambool.

Leeanne Tincknell, Deanne Carmody and Scott Collins outside the Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service. Picture: Arj Ganesan

However, Mr Pasin said their story was the “tip of the iceberg”.

“It’s disgusting, but there are hundreds, if not 1000s of people living in our community who have experienced exactly the same challenges,” he said.