The Canberra Liberals will move for the government to investigate expanding paediatric cancer and blood disorder services at Canberra Hospital so more children can receive treatment closer to home.

Canberra Liberals Leader and Shadow Health Minister Mark Parton says the proposal follows an Assembly petition signed by 2337 people calling for a dedicated paediatric oncology and haematology service in Canberra. The petition was sponsored by Liberal MLA Elizabeth Lee and lodged by Monash mother Robyn Wakefield.

Canberra Health Services currently provides paediatric oncology care through a shared-care arrangement with tertiary services such as the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, meaning some specialist treatment requires families to travel interstate.

“When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the last thing a family should have to manage is repeated trips to Sydney,” Mr Parton says.

Ms Wakefield, whose child has received treatment interstate, says the proposal is not intended to replace highly specialised treatment in Sydney but to determine what additional care could safely be provided in Canberra.

The motion calls for a scoping exercise examining current patient numbers and treatment pathways, as well as the workforce and infrastructure that would be required to expand local services.

Ms Lee says the government should work with its federal and NSW counterparts and the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network to determine which services could safely be provided in the ACT.

The Liberals are also calling for changes to the Interstate Patient Travel Assistance Scheme to reduce administration for families making repeated interstate trips and make it easier to obtain help with upfront travel and accommodation costs.

The motion will be debated in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

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