Speaking of wasting Government money

[*crikey*mate*]

I just collected a package from the post office from the Australian Government (that's what it said on the envelope) It was addressed to my OH - it had all this informational stuff in it about bowel cancer.

Yeah, yeah, keeping people informed etc - but the postage alone must have been $3 plus the cost of whatever was in the package (it was A4 and chockers and I reckon must have only made the 20mm thick rule by a cat's whisker) and the wage of the person who had to correlate it all and pack it.

But it was specifically addressed to him, so there is a system somewhere deciding who gets these packages.

My OH has no history of cancer, so why they picked him out I have no idea.

Wonder how many other people got these and how much this drained the coffers.

Sure, keep people informed etc, but I reckon I could think of a few less expensive ways to do it.

[**meep**]

LOL Crikey, there is a testing tube that goes inside a transportation tube which goes inside a plastic ziplock bag.  (i know this because my mother received one)

[*crikey*mate*]

and I can only imagine what the test might involve - eeewwwwww - how do you return that hygenically???

me thinks you should have read the enclosed material and studied the pack before you started this thread.

I think people will send it back (I did) as it is easy to do, prepaid post, drop in Post Office mail box.

look on the bright side - I've now informed lots of people about the bowel cancer screening thingo and it didn't cost me a cent!

(it's not addressed to me, so i didn't read it - If i had have realized it was not addressed to me, I wouldn't have even opened it)

[cherry*135]

Actually you wouldn't be able to do the test at the Medical Centre, they would give you the  gear to take home and to use at a 'convenient' time.

As part of the 2012-13 Federal Budget, the Australian Government announced that the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program will be expanded to include Australians turning 60 years of age from 2013 and those turning 70 years of age from 2015. 

Between 1 July 2012 and 31 December 2015 up to 4.8 million eligible Australians will be offered free bowel cancer screening which includes 1.2 million Australians aged 60 and 70 years.

The Program will be further expanded in 2017-18, when a phased implementation of biennial screening will commence. When fully implemented, all Australians aged between 50 and 74 years will be offered free screening every two years, consistent with the recommendations of the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The expansion of the program means that more than 12,000 suspected or confirmed cancers will be detected each year and between 300 and 500 lives saved annually. This will significantly reduce the burden of bowel cancer on Australians and their families.

Any Australians, including younger people, who have concerns about their risk of developing bowel cancer should discuss their health with their general practitioner.

Bowel cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in Australia, and around 80 Australians die each week from the disease. Bowel cancer can be treated successfully if detected in its early stages, but currently fewer than 40 per cent of bowel cancers are detected early.

http://www.cancerscreening.gov.au/internet/screening/publishing.nsf/Content/bowel-about

[joz*garage]

am i 'sposed to read all that?

[*crikey*mate*]

The alternative is everyone over the age of 50 all rocking up to their doctors to have a test done.

That is a good point. Would cost the Govt around $25 per person for the Medicare benefit. Plus not many would bother doing it.

gawd, now I'm thinking about the mass imunizations they do for the kids in high school LOL

Can you imagine them setting up a mobile clinic where everyone just rocks in to collect their kit and toddles off to a private area to do their test (I'm guessing it's not a scraping from under your fingernail) and then lines up to hand in the results??? LOL

and then all the people in the queue waiting for you as you come out to give you a high five and ask how much it hurt....

ok - own home is a good thing

[**meep**]

am i 'sposed to read all that?

be glad you didnt receive the kit then....a lot more reding in it.

[freddie*rooster]

Rotary NSW also do the annual bowel screening kit's for $8 which I imagine would be the same thing as the Government has done. You will be shocked at the success rates for their screening results if you googled.

[cherry*135]

The postage would be bulk mail rates, not what you or I would pay to send out a large envelope

The cost of the test kit? Not sure

Compared that to a person visiting a Dr and Govt paying the Dr the medicare benefit of around $25 for each person/visit?

The one I received, the flap had come open on the back and the test kit had fallen out before I received it. So I had to be sent another one.. tsk tsk.. 2 kits for 1 person.

[*crikey*mate*]

I'm currently on a 2 month waiting list for a colonoscopy,  and was told I would probably be called before that,  how good  is that?

I dunno, is it? someone back there said it was three weeks from first symptom to death. Thinking I'd kinda like to get in a little bit earlier than two months?

What's the point of testing and diagnosing people if they can't give the follow up treatment in a reasonably short time frame?

"Well, yes sir, you have cancer, but we can't do anything to help you for 2 months, but thank you for taking our free test"

[cherry*135]

I had seen the Rotary kits for sale in a stand at the local shopping centre. But I didn't bother to buy one, thought I would get around to it one day. However, when the Govt one came in the mail, I did the test and sent it back.

I had an Aunt who died of bowel cancer.