1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: Good morning to you, Rachel. 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 2: Hi, are you very well? 3 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Sorry, I'm a bit clumsy with the phone line sometimes, Rachel. 4 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: Now I understand, I understand you. You were actually the 5 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: person who messaged us about not being able to get 6 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: in at the moment for a biopsy. I was, Yes, Rachel, 7 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: just give us a little bit more detail about your 8 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: situation at the moment. So you're essentially waiting now to 9 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: see somebody about a breast slump. 10 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I am. I'm a bit shocked myself. Actually, I've 11 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 2: been a nurse in the territory for eleven years and 12 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,279 Speaker 2: I don't work in our our health anymore, but I'm 13 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 2: a little bit shocked at the time frame that's allowed 14 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 2: for an urgent referral. So I have done, I'm doing 15 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 2: everything I possibly can. I've just recalled my doctor and 16 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 2: asked her to see me through privately. That's a complete 17 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 2: waste of time because I'll be waiting longer. So essentially, 18 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 2: the referral goes in, and I'm sure that they get 19 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 2: hundreds and hundreds of referrals per day, so someone actually 20 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 2: has to fight down referral first, and they've told me 21 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 2: it takes ten business day for that to actually happen, 22 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,199 Speaker 2: and then a nurse needs to go and and treat them, 23 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 2: and then that needs to go to a doctor for 24 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 2: them to have a look at the refer and see 25 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 2: how urgent it is, and then that needs to go 26 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,680 Speaker 2: to someone else to book me an appointments. Essentially, at 27 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 2: the moment, I've got a chicking time bomb in my 28 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 2: chest and I can't get anyone to look at it. 29 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 2: And I am giving a bit emotional because I do 30 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 2: have two small little children, and I'm very young, and 31 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 2: I just don't know what to do with myself. 32 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: Rachel, I feel quite emotional listening to you, to be honest, 33 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: because I think it's a really difficult situation that you're 34 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: in at the moment, and I you know, we're going 35 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 1: to make sure that we send your information to the Minister, 36 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: to her office, but also to the health Department. You know, 37 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: I understand that there's obviously processes that need to be followed, 38 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: but we've got to make sure that people like yourself 39 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: are actually able to get in and get this check 40 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: that is required so that then if you do need 41 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: any further treatment, you're able to actually have it really 42 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: bloody quickly. 43 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 2: But indeed, and if it wasn't so urgent. And you know, 44 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 2: I was recalled within two days of having my mammogram 45 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 2: and my ultrasound, and my doctor's like, you need to 46 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,639 Speaker 2: get in immediately. I'm like, great, yep, no worries. Oh, 47 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 2: you know, I'll stop planning my funeral. You know, your 48 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 2: mind to start, that's right, you know. But now I've 49 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 2: got a whole month to sit on this and think 50 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 2: about it. I'm thinking, if it is looking that, then, 51 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 2: you know, a whole month is a long time, and 52 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 2: I just want to make sure that, you know, and 53 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 2: if it wasn't something so urgent, you know, there's markers 54 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 2: there that are saying that it's very suspicious. And I 55 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 2: am young, so yeah, it's very very worrying at the moment. 56 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, And Rachel, I would feel exactly the same as 57 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: you do right now. And you know, I've got two 58 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: little kids as well, so I cannot imagine just how 59 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: distraught you are feeling and how worried. Like I said, 60 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: we're going to make sure that we get your information 61 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: across to the minister's office. We're going to try our 62 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: best in you know, with what the ever capacity we've 63 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: got to try and help you. I'm really sorry that 64 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 1: you're going through this. I find it heartbreaking, you know. 65 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: I've certainly had friends who've gone through breast cancer journeys 66 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: and it's really hard. And I hope that we're able 67 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: to at the very least help you in some way, 68 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: shape or form, to get in there to go and 69 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 1: get this thing checked so that whatever journey you're about 70 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: to embark on, let's hope that it's not one of treatment, 71 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 1: but whatever journey you're about to embark on, that you 72 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: know what you're dealing with, sooner rather than later. 73 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,119 Speaker 2: I really appreciate it, Katie, I really do it. It's 74 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 2: not just me, it's other people in my situation as well, 75 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 2: that you know, as being in the healthcare system for 76 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 2: such a long time up here, it is quite a 77 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 2: shock to be on the receiving end and not being 78 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 2: a get in and see anyone at all. 79 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: You know what you are spot on, because since you 80 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: sent us that message earlier this morning, we've had a 81 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: lot of people actually get in contact with us. I've 82 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: got somebody else who'd message to say that that they've 83 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: got melanoma and that they've got well they have obviously 84 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: been treated for melanoma previously and they've now got further suspicious, 85 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: suspicious sites that need to be checked, and they've been 86 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 1: told seven weeks now to get their next appointment. You know, 87 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: you don't like you need to get in faster than that. 88 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: I would suspect you would think so. 89 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 2: And can you imagine sitting on that for seven weeks, 90 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 2: how you're supposed to function on a day to day 91 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 2: base with little children and trying to carry on life 92 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 2: as per normal. But it's unacceptable. And I listened before here. 93 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 2: I'm part of the Nursing Federation up here as well, 94 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 2: and what she was saying was spot on that the 95 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 2: thing is, no one really wants to talk about it 96 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 2: out loud, and you're saying they're explosive revelations. We've known 97 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: this in the health system for such a long time 98 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 2: because no one really wants to talk about it, and. 99 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: We've got to, hey, otherwise nothing's going to change then. 100 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: And you know, like we talk about surgeries obviously being 101 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: postponed and things like that, told that their non life threatening. 102 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: But do you know what, Rachel, I hadn't even thought 103 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: about a situation like the one that you're in right now, 104 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: and it's it needs to get sorted out. 105 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 2: Well, I'm a little bit concerned just getting an appointment, 106 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 2: let alone surgery, because I know that I'll need to 107 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 2: have surgery, But how am I supposed to have that 108 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 2: if I kind of get an appointment. 109 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, oh, Rachel, we really appreciate it. Yeah, well mate, 110 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 1: we are thinking of you today. We're like I, you know, 111 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 1: I don't sending you all my positive vibes and love 112 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: and care at this point. I hope that you know 113 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: that you are able to see someone sooner rather than later. 114 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having a chat with us 115 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,799 Speaker 1: and making us aware of this situation. 116 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 2: Thanks Annie, very kind, Thank you. 117 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: Thanks Rachel. We're going to take a very short break. 118 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 2: I tell you what that is. 119 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: Bloody hard, a really hard situation that Rachel's in there. 120 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: And like I said, we're hearing that from other people 121 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: as well this morning, and we're going to make sure 122 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: that we get that inform across to the department and 123 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: also to the Health Minister's office. We've got to try 124 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: our best to make sure that people are able to 125 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:10,559 Speaker 1: be treated, Territorians are able to to go and uh 126 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: and have these you know, these appointments sooner rather than later, 127 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: so that you know that they're able to actually, if 128 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: they need treatment, able to get it as quickly as possible.