An investigation has exposed how Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS) failed to tell its patients they had aggressive cancers needing urgent treatment.
Doctors who have reviewed the more than 200-page report, released this week, say warning signs about poor hospital resourcing had been evident for years.
Queensland Health has accepted, in principle, 27 recommendations made by investigators.
Some patients with aggressive and high-risk cancers were not notified of their diagnosis or booked in for urgent specialist care at North Queensland's largest public hospital.
The Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS) became aware of its failings when GPs referred patients back to the hospital for forgotten biopsy results.
In a more than 200-page report on THHS, released by Queensland Health this week, investigators detailed the four incidents they said illustrated the most serious safety breaches suffered by patients.
In these four cases, THHS did not follow up with patients who had suspected or confirmed cancer.
"One patient had a planned follow-up that was not booked; he subsequently re-presented via GP referral and was found to have high-grade prostate cancer," the report said.
Another patient received an MRI-guided prostate biopsy that indicated he had cancer that was moderately likely to spread.
"He was not recalled for results, leaving both the patient and GP unaware of a positive diagnosis until a new…
