To the Editor: The recent editorial by Macrae1 outlined the potential issues facing the rollout of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. It is estimated there will be about 5000 additional colonoscopies performed in New South Wales in the first year.2 To ascertain how the NSW public health system might absorb this increased demand, the Greater Metropolitan Clinical Taskforce (GMCT) Gastroenterology Network conducted a survey in 2006, featuring structured interviews with clinicians. Our aims were to estimate the current capacity of NSW public hospitals to perform colonoscopies and to identify perceived impediments to meeting future demand.
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- 1. Macrae FA. Providing colonoscopy services for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program [editorial]. Med J Aust 2007; 186: 280-281. <MJA full text>
- 2. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. The Australian bowel cancer screening pilot program and beyond: final evaluation report. Screening Monograph No. 6/2005. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2005.
- 3. Health Information Exchange. Colonoscopy activity across NSW Area Health Services by financial year 2001–2004, selected DRGs, admitted patients only. Sydney: NSW Health, 2005.
All clinicians who contributed to the survey gave up their time on a voluntary basis. We thank everyone who contributed, particularly Cameron Bell and John Napoli, who assisted with the pilot studies.