A group of concerned doctors have lobbied local and federal government for three years to improve cancer services for Canberra women. ACT Health has failed to make any commitment to establish comprehensive treatment for women in the region. There are no conditions affecting men only that cannot be cared for in the ACT. 

Dr Greg Robertson from the Royal Women’s Hospital in Sydney has been traveling to Canberra for over 20 years, more recently fortnightly to provide gynaecological oncology surgery and clinics. Women requiring surgery must travel to Sydney for critical treatment and recovery. Dr Robertson’s retirement at the end of the year will leave Canberra without any ongoing specialist gynaecological cancer surgical services. 

Dr Robertson has lobbied the government to establish a permanent and local multi-disciplinary team for gynaecological cancers, the same level of care already provided for other cancers, such as prostate, breast and colon. Dr Robertson has also identified specialist, Dr Leon Foster who is currently available and willing to move to Canberra to establish this unit.