NSW Projection of Gynaecological Cancers in 2015
Rev Hon Dr Gordon Moyes: I ask the Hon John Robertson on behalf of Hon Frank Sartor, Minister assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) the following question without notice: Is the Minister aware that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has just released their projections of the number of gynaecological cancers that are likely to occur in New South Wales by the year 2015? Is the Minister aware that the specialist staff to diagnose, treat and provide ongoing care for women with these cancers, including ovarian, uterine, and cervical, is already less than optimal? Can the Minister please indicate what steps will be taken to provide specialist medical personnel to cope adequately for the future needs of the women of NSW who will be diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer?
The Hon. JOHN ROBERTSON: On 20 May 2010 Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes asked the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer), whom I represent in this place, a question regarding gynaecological cancer. I have been provided with the following response:
NSW Health is undertaking a range of measures to increase the number of doctors working in New South Wales in those specialities relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of gynaecological cancers. To inform future services and workforce requirements, NSW Health, in consultation with the New South Wales Cancer Institute, is developing a Cancer Service Plan, 2010 to 2015.
In the short to medium term, the recruitment of international medical graduates (IMGs) remains an important focus. The Area of Need program is a temporary strategy to assist the provision of medical services to locations in New South Wales where there is limited access to such services. The program enables eligible employers to recruit suitably qualified IMGs to vacant positions that have been approved by the New South Wales Department of Health as areas of need.
During March 2010, the Department of Health launched an international advertising campaign to attract specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists—as well as emergency medicine and psychiatry specialists—to New South Wales by directing potential applications to a new recruitment website listing suitable vacancies.
This has resulted in current obstetrics and gynaecology positions being viewed by 1,300 potential applications from 60 countries to date (14 March – 27 May 2010). The Department of Health will attend the British Medical Journal Careers Fair (London and Birmingham) in October 2010 with the aim of attracting European-trained specialists to positions in New South Wales.
Under Caring Together: the NSW Government Action Plan, eight new specialist training positions have been established in obstetrics and gynaecology, medical oncology and pathology, at a cost of $1.4 million per annum for four years.