Damning dermatologist waitlist stat sure to get under Queenslanders’ skin

People in Queensland have a harder time securing appointments and pay more for specialist dermatologists than anywhere else in Australia, new figures show, despite the state being the skin cancer capital of the world.

Waiting lists for specialist dermatologist appointments are longer in Queensland than in any other state, despite it being the skin cancer capital of the world.

And those living in the Sunshine State also pay well above the national average for an initial consult which is almost four times more than the Medicare rebate.

The grim findings have been revealed in an intensive analysis of hundreds of dermatology clinics across the country from Cleanbill.

Dermatologists are highly trained and treat a large range of conditions that affect the skin, hair and nails from rashes to suspicious moles.

Dermatologists in the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory have a 100 per cent availability rate. In NSW and Victoria the availability rate is 97 per cent, while in South Australia it is 94.7 per cent.

In Queensland, 94 per cent of dermatologists have appointments available.

The average cost of the first appointment in Queensland is $312.19 while the national average is $296.71. Tasmania is the cheapest at $247 and the ACT the most expensive at $320.

The Medicare rebate for the service is $84.15.

Follow-up appointments in Queensland are $228.56 which is still multiple times more than the rebate.

Queensland is the skin cancer capital of the world.

Sharyn Chin Fat, senior manager, Prevention and Early Detection at Cancer Council Queensland, said that early detection was the key to successful treatment for skin cancers but stressed that the GP should be the first point of contact if Queenslanders noticed any skin changes.

A GP will gauge the problem and may refer the patient to a dermatologist

“Get to know your skin and what’s normal for you,” Ms Chin Fat said.

“Make a habit of checking your skin regularly, including areas not typically exposed to the sun.

“Make sure to see your doctor if you notice a freckle, mole, or lump that is new or changing in size, shape, or colour, or if you have a sore that doesn’t heal within four to six weeks.

“We know that Queensland is the skin cancer capital of the world, and about two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer before the age of 70.”

The southeast corner and many coastal areas have higher than average rates of not only thin melanomas, which are consistent with early diagnosis, but late diagnosis thick melanomas, Cancer Council research has found.

Originally published as Damning dermatologist waitlist stat sure to get under Queenslanders’ skin