Tasmanian patient faces up to a year wait for urgent colonoscopy after positive screen
A man in Tasmania who received a positive bowel-cancer screening result has been told his urgent colonoscopy could be delayed by six to twelve months.
Tony, a pseudonym for a 50-plus Tasmanian man, returned a positive bowel-cancer screening kit in June and was promised an urgent colonoscopy within 30 days. Eighty days later, the Tasmanian Health Service informed him that, with roughly 1,000 patients on the list, his procedure could be postponed for six to twelve months. The state does not publish detailed endoscopy wait-time data, though annual reports show around 13,500 procedures were completed last year and a target of over 13,000 for 2026-27.
Health Minister Bridget Archer acknowledged that recommended timeframes are not always met and cited investments in staff and private-clinic outsourcing to ease pressure. The patient has contacted his MP and expressed frustration, noting his children are also worried. Bowel Cancer Australia and gastroenterologist John Ding warned that delayed diagnosis can worsen outcomes and increase hospital strain.
Why it matters
Long waits for diagnostic colonoscopies risk delayed cancer detection and heightened anxiety for patients.
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