Campaign History

Aug 2012 Labor Opposition questions NSW Health Minister over extreme waiting times for peritonectomy surgery.

Sept 2012 NSW Health Minister promises that the LHD was working with the surgeons at St George to make sure patients are treated within the clinically appropriate timeframes.

Jan 2013 Parliamentary "Lives at Risk" Petition started as peritonectomy patients still waiting way beyond clinically recommended times.

Feb 2013 Labor Opposition questions NSW Health Minister over excessive delays for surgery.

Mar 13, 2013 Dr Andrew McDonald MP (NSW) lodged 500+ signatures on "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition.

April 1, 2013 NSW Health Minister responds to "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petitioners lodged by Dr Andrew McDonald MP.

May 1, 2013 Again Labor Opposition questions NSW Health Minister over excessive delays for surgery.

May 2013 Cherie Burton MP (NSW) lodged 500+ signatures on "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition.

May 2013 WA, QLD and NZ patients have been refused permission to join the waiting list at St George Hospital because they don't live in NSW including, Lex Oliver (QLD) who was supposed to have surgery within 1 month but left waiting too long and became inoperable. He died in October 2014.

May 25, 2013 St George Hospital told Prof. Morris and team to stop operations for over a month to meet budget.

May 31, 2013 Jillian Skinner, NSW Health Minister, says on ABC Radio: "It's the money but it's also access to intensive care beds which are needed for many, many patients. Many patients who are undergoing different procedures and to, well you know, with these peritonectomy patients three weeks-plus taking up beds in the ICU." .

May 31, 2013 St George Hospital backflips after a public outcry and Prof. Morris and team start operating but the number of operations he and his team can perform each month remains limited, and he and his team are unable to treat interstate patients, many of whom cannot access treatment nearer to their homes.

Jun 4, 2013 NSW Health Minister responds to "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition lodged by Cherie Burton MP.

June 20, 2013 Anthony Roberts MP (NSW) lodged 500+ signatures on "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition.

Aug 13, 2013 NSW Health Minister responds to "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition lodged by Anthony Roberts MP (NSW) and says increased demand for this surgery and working on solutions.

Oct 11, 2013 Organisers of social media campaign and online change.org petition started on 4 October 2013 after a patient, Nicole Perko, appeared on "A Current Affair" said they had tried but failed to engage Premier Barry O'Farrell and the Health Minister.

Oct 15, 2013 Mike Baird MP (NSW) lodged 500+ signatures on "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition.

October 15 & 16, 2013 Again Labor Opposition questions the NSW Health Minister about peritonectomy patients waiting too long.

Oct 19, 2013 NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner said the decision to fund an extra 6 surgeries by Prince of Wales Hospital (changed to St George Public Hospital) was not the result of a social media campaign "but rather many months of careful consideration of a complex issue" by health managers and clinicians."- SMH.

19 November 2013 CEO of NSW Cancer Institute, David Currow, announced in media "It's Official No Increase in Peritonectomy surgeries" following Sam McCauley's petition for Nicole Perko and only 6 extra operations.

Read more: http://www.theleader.com.au/story/1918505/no-increase-in-peritonectomy-surgeries-at-st-george-hospital-official/

Nov 19, 2013 NSW Cancer Institute endorses discriminatory quota system of only 72 surgeries for NSW patients saying there is no need to fund more peritonectomy cancer surgeries despite long waiting lists. However, the "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition means that this issue has to be discussed in the NSW Parliament.

21 November 2013 CEO, David Currow, again said in the media that the limit to Peritonectomy surgery was to stay in place:

Read more: http://www.theleader.com.au/story/1921675/peritonectomy-surgery-limit-to-stay-in-place/

30 November 2013 CEO, David Currow, again said in media that there is no need for an increase from 72 peritonectomies per year as an audit had found 72 of the specialised procedures a year is "absolutely enough."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/absolutely-enough-specialised-cancer-operations-despite-the-long-wait-20131129-2yh0l.html

Lives at Risk Parliamentary Petition means this has to be discussed in Parliament.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/absolutely-enough-specialised-cancer-operations-despite-the-long-wait-20131129-2yh0l.html#ixzz2m4gLT6Xh

Dec 12, 2013 WA restores peritonectomy surgery funding 20 operations per year for 3 years.

Dec 17, 2013 Federal Health Minister, Peter Dutton MP, advises that as the states and territories are the "system managers" for the delivery of healthcare in public hospitals and nominate services for inclusion in the NFC program petitioners should raise the issue with the Minister of Health in their states and territory.

Jan 2014 Interstate cancer patients are calling on St George Hospital in Sydney (NSW) to restore its cross-border peritonectomy surgery arrangements until such time as a Nationally Funded Centre for peritonectomy surgery/HIPEC is established but NSW Health has no plans to increase the number of these procedures at St George. However, the "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition means that this issue has to be discussed in the NSW Parliament.

15 Jan 2014 Leader Peritonectomy surgery limit decried - restricted to 72 NSW patients

Read more: http://www.theleader.com.au/story/2019613/limit-on-peritonectomy-surgery-decried-restricted-to-72-nsw-patients/

Feb 24 Health Minister advises that as in the past the St George Clinical Council will determine which Peritonectomy patients receive one of the 72 surgeries funded each year.

Read more: http://www.livesatrisk.com.au/EnhancedMultidisciplinarTeam.PDF?act=A

Mar - July 2014 Patients still left waiting way beyond recommended times for Peritonectomy surgery.

Aug 14, 2014 Anthony Roberts MP (NSW) lodged 10,000+signatures on "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition so that a date can be obtained for the discussion of the petition requests.

Sept 2014 NSW Health Minister responds to "Lives at Risk" Parliamentary Petition announcing extra funds for an extra 14 surgeries so 72 surgeries per year absolutely not enough.

Nov 2014 Queensland Health announces 100% increase in peritonectomies up to 24 from 12 per year from Feb 2015.

Nov 19, 2014 Discussion in NSW Parliament of "Lives at Risk" parliamentary petition. Plans for 120 surgeries up from 72 per year , Prof. Morris renews his application for a Nationally Funded Centre so all Australians needing this surgery can have the best possible outcomes and a clinical audit (report) of surgery.

Dec 19, 2014 Hansard-"6588—PERITONECTOMY SURGERY Dr Andrew McDonald to the Minister for Health, and Minister for Medical Research— Will the Ministry of Health submit Professor David Morris's application to the Nationally Funded Centres (NFC) Reference Group regarding peritonectomy surgery and the NFC program. If so, when? If not, why not? Will the Minister raise the issue of peritonectomy surgery with the NFC Reference Group in light the growth in the amount of research into the issue?

Feb 19, 2015 Australian Health Minister, the Hon. Sussan Ley MP, advises no NFC as there are now too many patients and NSW Health intends to review arrangements for peritonectomy / HIPEC.

Mar 18, 2015 Australian Health Minister via the Australian Department of Health advised that interstate peritonectomy patients may access peritonectomy surgery at St George Public Hospital if they are assessed as eligible in their home states and are clinically referred to St George Public Hospital.

March 26, 2015 NSW Health Minister advises that:

1. A dedicated project has been started to plan for the future service delivery of peritonectomy surgery within NSW.
2. All appropriately referred interstate patients are considered by the Enhanced Multi-Disciplinary Team for peritonectomy at St George Public Hospital.
3. That NSW has received support from other jurisdictions (states) to work collaboratively on patient selection criteria as part of equitable access across Australia.

April 2015 the NSW Ministry of Health advises "Lives at Risk" petitioners that:

1. Prof Morris to train 4 surgeons to remain in Australia.
2. Peritonectomy surgery to be established at 2 public hospitals.
3. Audit and report to be completed.

April 20, 2016 Good News from the NSW Government as "Planning for NSW Peritonectomy Services" and the provision of "Patient Information" progresses.

June 2016 Hansard-3335 - PERITONECTOMY CASES IN NEW SOUTH WALES, Mr Anoulack Chanthivong MP to the NSW Minister for Health: Question 1. What is the estimated growth in procedures concerning peritonectomy cases in New South Wales over the next decade? Question 2. What provision in the redevelopment of St George Hospital has been made for any growth in the procedure? Answer due 7 July 2016.

22 Aug 2016 NSW Health advised that CRS (Peritonectomy) / HIPEC surgery will NOT be established at a private facility let alone one located near St George Hospital in Kogarah and they are still to call for expressions of interest in performing CRS / HIPEC from Public Hospitals in Sydney.
Bottom line is NSW Patients are still being left to wait beyond recommended times for life prolonging Peritonectomy surgery.

9 Oct 2016 Asbestos Cancer Patient needs help to get Life Prolonging Peritonectomy Surgery

17 Oct 2016 Leader Newspaper St George Hospital General Manager​, said numbers of peritonectomy surgeries were increased by 30 full operating days between now and the end of the year and the 25 patients currently on or pending the waitlist should be offered an operation date this year.

9 Nov 2016 Leader Newspaper Prof. Morris leading way in Peritonectomy Surgery.

Read about Annie, Stacey, Teddi, Maddy and Lex's life threatening waiting times for peritonectomy surgery.

Annie Warn (NSW) diagnosed in March 2014 and supposed to have surgery within 3 months but left waiting 8 months, until November 2014.

Stacey Jaundrell (QLD) diagnosed in July 2013 and supposed to have surgery within 3 months but left waiting 7 months, until February 2014.

Teddi Dwyer Engerer (ACT) diagnosed in September 2013 and supposed to have surgery within 3 months but left waiting 6 months, until March 2014.

Nicole Perko (NSW) diagnosed in February 2013 and supposed to have surgery initially within 3 months, later reduced to 1 month, but left waiting 8 months, until November 2013.

Lex Oliver (QLD), diagnosed in May 2013 and supposed to have surgery within 1 month but left waiting too long and became inoperable. He died in October 2014.

WA, QLD and NZ patients have been refused permission to join the waiting list at St George Hospital because they don't live in NSW.

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Peritonectomy surgery is now the standard of care for many countries for conditions such as pseudomyxoma peritonei, appendiceal cancer and mesothelioma. People from New South Wales and around Australia who otherwise would have died are alive, thanks to this surgery.