Editorial: Health Minister’s next challenge an easy fix

Shannon Fentiman can make her mark by picking up the phone and ensuring the Gold Coast University Hospital brings a vital machine back online as soon as possible, writes the editor.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman last week. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

It is one of the most visible signs of cancer – the hair loss that isn’t caused by the disease itself, but as a side-effect of lifesaving chemotherapy.

Although many patients wear this baldness as a badge of honour, and many families shave their heads in support, most patients, if given the choice, would prefer to keep their hair.

In the past decade a machine has made its way into hospitals that allows this.

The Paxman scalp cooling system is worn during chemo sessions and prevents much of the hair loss.

But while 22 private hospitals across Queensland use the machine, in 2021 the Gold Coast University Hospital became our first public hospital to use it.

However, in June the machine broke down, and rather than spend $5000 to fix it the hospital has decided its “trial” is now over.

A Gold Coast Health spokesperson said the hospital had been participating in a trial for the past two years in which “a limited number of patients who receive chemotherapy have had access to the scalp cooling machine”.

“Recently the machine malfunctioned, which resulted in the conclusion of the trial earlier than expected,” the spokesperson added.

It has left patients like Vicki Jarvis, who is three-quarters of the way through treatment for stage 3 breast cancer, fuming.

“It’s like we are living in a third world country – public hospitals around the country have these machines, just not in Queensland,” Ms Jarvis, a 51-year-old mother from Pacific Pines said.

“It’s a real kick in the guts because losing your hair changes your identity and women dealing with cancer are already dealing with a lot.”

She has now chosen to go private (at $395 a session) for the rest of her chemotherapy.

Upper Coomera woman Sally Woodbury said the machine was “unbelievable”, allowing her to retain almost all of her hair while having chemo for breast cancer earlier this year.

“It’s not a lot of money for people to have their dignity,” she said.

It come as we today report on more damaging hospital data, this time on ED wait times.

It shows only about half of the patients who present at the large greater Brisbane hospitals are seen within the clinically recommended times.

A spokesman for Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the results showed significant pressure on the health system.

“Queensland emergency departments saw more than 584,000 presentations in the June quarter. This is 8853 more presentations than the same quarter last year,” he said.

Last Wednesday in this column we praised Health Minister Fentiman for ensuring Queensland hospital data was released regularly.

As well as a victory for transparency in government, it also serves as a baseline against which the new minister can be measured.

She clearly has her work cut out for her with a system straining under the weight of demand.

But Ms Fentiman can also make her mark by picking up the phone this morning and ensuring the Gold Coast University Hospital brings its Paxman machine back online as soon as possible.

And after that is taken care of, perhaps she can ask the question of why other states have these machines widely available in public hospitals and we do not.

A SPORTING WEEKEND LIKE NOTHING BEFORE

This weekend is gearing up to be one of the most momentous in Queensland sporting history.

Our flagship football teams, the Brisbane Broncos and the Brisbane Lions, both play in home preliminary finals for the chance to keep the dream alive of twin premierships on September 30 and October 1.

Due to the inherent unfairness in both the NRL and AFL competitions, neither grand final can be played in Brisbane, but we’ll live with that.

Today both sets of members will scramble for their ticket allocation – Broncos fans for a Suncorp Stadium seat to see their team play the Warriors on Friday night, and Lions supporters for a spot at the Gabba to see the Saturday night match against Carlton.

Anything seats left will be fought over like a hot chip thrown among the seagulls tomorrow.

And if the results go our way the ticket chase will continue next week, along with the scramble for flights to Sydney and Melbourne.

If that happens we can only hope the airlines, including our under-siege national carrier Qantas, resist the urge to price gouge.

Both of our teams are hot favourites with bookies to make their grand finals, but they won’t be getting ahead of themselves with the finish line in sight.

Go Broncos! Go Lions!

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here