13 Jul 2023

Cancer patients wanting answers in the far south

From Morning Report, 8:18 am on 13 July 2023

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Cancer patients in the far south are questioning why they're being told they'll need to wait 12 weeks to be seen, when the target is a month.

The Director for Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury, Dan Pallister-Coward, told Morning Report earlier this week the targets were being met.

However this is not what cancer patients in the far south are experiencing.

Letters are still going out warning of three month delays to see specialists and provide patients a phone number to call, which repeatedly goes straight to voicemail.

Melissa Vining's husband died from bowel cancer under the care of the then-Southern DHB five years ago, after being told he had eight weeks to live but would need to wait 12 weeks to see an oncologist.

Ms Vining spoke to Corin Dann.