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"Breast Cancer Assessment and Treatments"

About: Peel Health Campus

(as the patient),

I am telling the story of the frustrations of the Mandurah Angels Breast Cancer Social Support Group. We are just under 100 Peel women who have had or currently have breast cancer. Our local Peel hospital has fabulous McGrath nurses whom are active and making a difference.

However, it seems our local Peel Health Campus is not fully equipped or staffed to ensure women and men across our region are correctly diagnosed, treated and followed up.  We have multiple examples of late diagnosis and misdiagnosis we believe is due to the lack of a dedicated Breast Assessment Clinic at the Peel Hospital. We are frustrated.

We have engaged through the correct channels via a petition with near 3000 signatures which despite being handed to our locals MPs , a third have still not been delivered at parliament from 2024.  We had heard via our MPs that a conversation with our WA Health Minister took place, however, we have had no feedback. 

We were told that such centres had to be in Tertiary hospitals, however we have seen the most recent centres all  being built in north Perth shopping centres, and still none is planned for the  southern Peel region for at least another 15 to 20 years.  With a population growth of 250% projected, we are now angry that we need to continue to watch our friends and family suffer.  If anyone out there has any ideas, or can make some noise to those who make the plans and allocate funds, please do so.

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Responses

Response from Kellie Blyth, Executive Director, Peel Health Campus, South Metropolitan Health Service 3 weeks ago
Kellie Blyth
Executive Director, Peel Health Campus,
South Metropolitan Health Service
Submitted on 25/07/2025 at 7:39 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia on 28/07/2025 at 8:54 AM


picture of Kellie Blyth

Dear Mandurah Angels Breast Cancer Social Support Group,

Thank you for taking the time to express your frustration and concern about breast cancer services in the Peel region.

To watch family and friends suffer must be incredibly difficult and I acknowledge your efforts to advocate for better access to breast cancer assessment services.

As you are probably aware biopsies are conducted as part of breast screening procedures by Breast Cancer WA which is an organisation that is funded separately from the South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS). Breast Cancer WA usually conducts screening clinics and services under agreement with different Health Service Providers.

While the biopsies as a follow-up on abnormal imaging results are currently not able to be conducted in the Peel region, I want to reassure you that Peel Health Campus (PHC) does routinely provide surgical core biopsies in theatre. Also, patients requiring surgical intervention are provided with care at PHC or Fiona Stanley Hospital depending on the complexity of the surgery. This is an evidence-based approach, and we continue to work with our breast cancer multi-disciplinary teams to facilitate the right care in the right place at the earliest opportunity possible for all our patients.

Kind regards,

Kellie

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