Doctors in Australia lead the way
01 June 2015 by News Desk
Doctors in Australia are among the fastest in the world at early diagnosis of cancer.
GP’s in Victoria and New South Wales are more likely to immediately refer people with possible cancer for tests or to a specialist than those in comparable countries. Cancer survival is highest in Australia, Canada and Sweden; intermediate in Norway; and lower in Denmark, England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
New research – by six countries and including the University of Melbourne – shows a link between a country’s cancer survival and how likely that country’s GP’s were to refer patients immediately. Australian GPs were consistently among the most likely to refer quickly.
Almost every GP in Victoria reported direct access to blood tests, X-rays and ultrasound for possible cancer diagnosis (99%) – higher than any other jurisdiction.
Almost every GP in Victoria and New South Wales reported having direct access to CT and MRI scans – at least twice the level of direct access their peers in other countries reported having.
GPs in Australia also reported dramatically shorter waiting times for the results of CT, MRI and ultrasound scans compared to all other countries (with a total waiting time of around one and a half weeks). In comparison, Northern Ireland had the longest waiting times for tests and results of ultrasound and CT scans (seven to eight weeks).
