Canberra Patients Removed From Specialist Waiting Lists After Review

Patients waiting years for specialist appointments have received letters saying their referrals are closed, prompting concerns about access to care and the fairness of updated eligibility criteria.

Patients waiting for specialist treatment through Canberra Health Services have raised concerns after receiving letters informing them that their referrals have been closed following a review of outpatient services. The issue has brought renewed attention to long waiting periods, changing eligibility requirements and the difficulties families can face when trying to access specialist medical care through the public health system. One case involves a Canberra mother whose daughter was referred to a public paediatric allergy clinic in January 2024. The child had experienced an anaphylactic reaction while helping peel prawns for a Christmas meal and subsequently suffered further allergic reactions, some requiring emergency department visits. After waiting for nearly three years, the family received a letter in October stating that the referral no longer met the clinic's updated criteria and had been closed. The mother said the decision was distressing because the source of her daughter's allergies remained unidentified and future reactions were difficult to predict. The family also faced the prospect of seeking another referral after the doctor who originally referred the child had retired. Why the waiting lists are being reviewed Canberra Health Services has been reviewing more than 40 outpatient services to understand demand, examine referral pathways and prioritise patients according to clinical need. The organisation has previously reported that approximately 65,000 people were waiting for outpatient appointments. Health officials say the review is intended to help patients with the greatest medical needs receive specialist treatment sooner. Updated criteria are being assessed service by service, rather than applying one identical rule across every specialty. For the paediatric allergy clinic, officials said priority was being given to children under 16 with severe and complex food allergies, particularly those with a history of anaphylaxis. The service provides specialist assessment and treatment for eligible children with moderate to severe food allergies. However, families affected by closed referrals have questioned whether the updated criteria adequately reflect their medical circumstances. Some patients may have waited years believing that their place in the queue would eventually lead to an appointment. Health service response Canberra Health Services chief operating officer Alison Derritt said the organisation was systematically reviewing waiting lists and concentrating on patients who meet the updated priority categories. She acknowledged that some people might need to seek care through another pathway, including private providers or other appropriate local services. She also said patients and families could contact the health service if they believed important information had been overlooked during the review. The organisation's position is that reviewing referrals can help ensure limited specialist capacity is directed towards people who most urgently require it. Nevertheless, the process has raised questions about how patients are informed, how their current health circumstances are assessed and what support is available when a referral is closed. Political response and community concerns ACT Opposition Leader Mark Parton criticised the handling of the waiting lists and said he intended to move a motion in the Legislative Assembly calling on the government to honour the original waiting lists. The opposition argues that reviewing eligibility should not leave patients feeling they have been returned to the beginning of the referral process after years of waiting. The controversy has also highlighted the importance of communication between hospitals, patients and referring doctors. Families need clear explanations when eligibility rules change, particularly where conditions can involve serious or unpredictable symptoms. What happens next Canberra Health Services is continuing its review across outpatient specialties. The outcome for individual patients will depend on their clinical circumstances, the updated criteria for the relevant service and whether another pathway is appropriate. Patients who receive a closure letter can contact Canberra Health Services to ask for clarification or provide additional medical information if they believe their situation has not been fully considered. Families should also speak with their general practitioner about alternative referrals or other suitable care options. The issue highlights the challenge of balancing growing demand for specialist treatment with limited public health resources. The central concern for affected families is ensuring that administrative changes do not leave people with significant medical needs uncertain about where to obtain appropriate care.