Canterbury Hospital referral backlog delayed operations for 16 patients

More than a dozen patients at Canterbury Hospital in southwest Sydney missed recommended timeframes for elective surgery after referrals went unnoticed in an unmonitored email inbox. The incident prompted an urgent review and raised concerns about patient safety and how the hospital manages referrals.

The review identified four urgent patients, whose operations should occur within 30 days, and 12 semi-urgent patients, whose procedures should occur within 90 days. The Sydney Local Health District apologised and said dates had been allocated and surgeons contacted. The NSW medical association said delays could have serious consequences, while the state opposition called for assurance the problem was not occurring elsewhere. The NSW government has pledged $400 million for a hospital redevelopment; statewide, 85.6 per cent of elective surgeries were performed on time in the June quarter.