00:00A confronting Monday morning message from Townsville Hospital.
00:07I want to say how profoundly disappointing it will be for our community to hear the news that we're announcing today.
00:17Queensland Health has found gaps and delays for urology outpatients of the hospital and health service.
00:24I offer my sincere apology to those affected.
00:27At least 11, including some cancer patients, weren't provided test results or follow-up care.
00:34All 11 of those patients have been contacted and a clinical plan is in place for each.
00:40An investigation will probe more than three years of the hospital's books.
00:45Executives stressed affected patients had been contacted already.
00:50Cancers have not been missed as part of this process.
00:53Rather, it's around people's test results coming in and responding and making appointments with those individuals.
01:00Local doctors say lengthy waitlists leave patients feeling left in the dark.
01:05And so certainly it's common for GPs to need to resend information or reactivate referrals.
01:11Or sometimes I feel like I'm reminding them that there are patients still there in their community.
01:15An issue that prompts routine re-referrals to hospitals like Townsville.
01:21The bungle was picked up when a GP re-referred to the service in July.
01:26The hospital says it will review its waitlist of more than 800 urology patients.
01:31While Queensland Health launches a task force that will probe urology shortages in North Queensland.
01:38Chloe Chemicki, ABC News, Townsville.
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