A radiation oncologist says increasing delays in breast cancer treatment are forcing women to undergo mastectomies instead.
Cancer patient Allison Kennedy, who appeared on AM on Tuesday, said she had to wait until early next year for radiation treatment - and the Breast Cancer Foundation said her case wasn't isolated.
"[I'm] scared," Kennedy said of the delays. "That promise of a 'cure', I just see that slipping away from me."
The Breast Cancer Foundation has long said the health system hadn't kept up with screening due to COVID-19 disruptions and has urged the Government to act.
Melissa James, a radiation oncologist from The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, said they were suffering severe workforce and equipment shortages.
"There are just lots of patients like Allison, across New Zealand, who are missing out on potentially beneficial treatment," she told AM on Wednesday.
"For breast cancer treatment, they may be choosing to have their breast removed in a mastectomy rather than the option of having a lumpectomy - where the breast is maintained and they're given radiation therapy - simply because they can't access radiation therapy."
James said New Zealand's radiation oncology workforce had only increased by a small amount during the past decade.
"I can look at all of the statistics and the numbers… which tell us that things are in a very serious state in radiation oncology in New Zealand but, at the end of the day, it's the patient face. When I listen to stories like Allison's and I see that distress, that anguish - that's the real human cost of what we have here in New Zealand when we look at the gap between what's actually required and what we can deliver in terms of timely access to radiation therapy."
James said urgent action was needed or radiation oncology would cease to exist in New Zealand.
"We need to act now," she said. "It takes five to 10 years to train a radiation oncologist so you've got that lag time. So, unless we get urgent action right now, we will not have a service."
Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand, in a statement to AM, acknowledged the radiation oncology workforce was facing significant pressure.
It said the Government was directing a coordinated response to those issues but admitted there was no quick fix.
Funding was available for 15 more radiology registrar trainee positions over the next three years, Te Whatu Ora said.
Further development for the cancer workforce would help respond to the long-term challenges associated with the growing demand for cancer care, it said.
"This will focus on achieving equity of access and to ensure we have the appropriate cancer workforce capacity and capability to align with changes to models of care and future needs of the cancer workforce. It is crucial to initiate this longer term work, and it is a priority focus for Te Aho o Te Kahu (Cancer Control Agency) in its engagement with Te Whatu Ora," a spokesperson for the national health service said.
"Across the system, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand is actively leading on a range of initiatives the Government has announced that are focused on bolstering our health workforce.
"We're training more doctors and nurses, and we’re supporting people who stepped up to work in the COVID-19 vaccination programme to enter the health workforce.
"We also acknowledge the work of our healthcare kaimahi who're implementing on the ground system responses across the motu - every day with the sole aim of providing the highest level of care to their communities. The work you do is critical and valued," the spokesperson said.
