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"Appointments cancelled"

About: Sale Hospital / Day Procedure Unit

(as the patient),

I have my 3rd appointment at the Day procedure unit within 4 weeks and 3 out of 3 times im last on the list with one of my appointments being cancelled becqise i was last on list. I identify as indigenous and i hope thays not the reason i am given low priority. 2 times may be a coincedence but I believe 3 times is definetly a pattern.

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Responses

Response from Mandy Pusmucans, Director of Nursing, Sale, Central Gippsland Health last month
Mandy Pusmucans
Director of Nursing, Sale,
Central Gippsland Health
Submitted on 21/05/2026 at 4:47 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia on 22/05/2026 at 9:31 AM


picture of Mandy Pusmucans

Dera Goanna16,

Thank you for raising your concerns and I do apologise that you have been impacted by elective surgery cancellations. It can be very unsettling and disruptive when this occurs, and it is certainly something that we aim to avoid. However, at times, unplanned emergency surgeries must take precedence.

If an elective surgery cancellation is necessary, we take into consideration the urgency category of the elective surgery, according to the Victorian Department of Health's "Planned Surgery Access Policy". We also consider whether the persons surgery has been cancelled previously. Whilst it is unusual for a person to be re-scheduled 3 times, I can assure you that identifying as Indigenous is not a factor in the decision.

Again, I do apologise that this has occurred to you and do hope that your surgery if it has not happened as yet, is occurring soon.

I would be vey happy to follow this up more closely - to do this, I would appreciate it if you could make contact and provide your name. I am available on either mandy.pusmucans@cghs.com.au or on phone 5143 8512.

Again, please accept my apologies for these inconveniences. I do hope that you can be in touch.

Kind regards

Mandy Pusmucans

Director of Nursing

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