The Northern Territory Government has quietly dumped a program that would have allowed at least 150 patients a year to receive lifesaving heart surgery in the Top End instead of having to travel interstate.
The decision, finalised by Cabinet last year, came after the Health Department had already spent millions of dollars developing plans for the cardiothoracic surgery program, including the purchase of high-tech medical equipment.
The department is now trying to on-sell two heart-lung machines which it bought for $1.2 million in June 2018, shortly before the surgery program was recommended for the axe by the Top End Health Service.
The machines remain unused, but the time taken to put them out to tender means their manufacturer's warranty has now expired, likely reducing any returns for the NT Government.
While Territorians have access to heart-related diagnostic services and low-risk procedures in the NT, several hundred heart patients have to fly to Adelaide each year for more complex treatment, including open heart surgery.
Paediatric cardiologist Dr Bo Remenyi, who was named the NT Australian of the Year in 2018, said she was "extremely disappointed" the NT Government had abandoned the plan for a local heart surgery program.
"Given that 50 per cent of all people die from cardiovascular diseases, it is absolutely critical to look after our Territorians and to provide the best service that's time critical, culturally appropriate and the highest quality of care," Dr Remenyi said.
Government silence around scrapping of program 'wasn't deliberate'
The plan for a cardiothoracic surgery program based at Royal Darwin Hospital was first promised by the former CLP Government ahead the 2016 election.
The incoming Labor Government carried on with the initiative, allocating $9.6 million towards a program, as well as neurological services, in its 2017-18 budget.
"This will cater for approximately 100-150 patients per year," Health Minister Natasha Fyles was quoted as saying in 2018.
A Health Department spokesperson told the ABC that as the commissioning activities progressed, it became apparent to the Department the surgery program would require considerable infrastructure changes at the hospital.
The Health Department also said it would place "undue stress" on existing operating theatres and critical care wards.
Combined with the NT Government's severe fiscal challenges, the decision was made to suspend the program.
There was no public announcement about the scrapping of the program, but Health Minister Natasha Fyles said that had been unintentional.
"We certainly share as much as we can with Territorians. It wasn't deliberate to not share it," she said.
Dr Remenyi acknowledged the program would cost significant sums in the short term, but said several million dollars per year would be saved in the long run because expensive aeromedical services would no longer be required.
She said without a locally-based program, heart patients would continue to be at greater risk.
"People will die because they are getting treatment later — not within the 12 hours of recommended time," she said. "People will die because they opt not to travel interstate."
The Health Minister said the clinical advice given to her was that it was best to continue with the existing arrangements, because medical staff interstate already have significant experience, and the infrastructure, to deal with complex heart procedures.
"A decision was made, based on the evidence that in the situation at this point, we would not continue down the path of delivering those cardiothoracic services," she said.
"[Rather] that we would continue providing patient care interstate, but trying to get people home quicker and having that recovery here."
The department said most of the medical equipment previously purchased for the cardiothoracic surgery program had since been repurposed at Royal Darwin Hospital.
The two heart-lung machines, and two heater-cooler units worth $100,000, were being sold because they were unable to be utilised at RDH or the Palmerston Regional Hospital.
Funds from their sale will be redirected to the purchase of other essential medical equipment.
