A terrifying medical emergency involving raspberry ice cream has become a symbol of what one Canberra couple describes as a healthcare system where politics and bureaucracy are endangering patients' lives.
Leanne Anderson's last taste of raspberry ice cream came when her husband Roger went into cardiac arrest moments after finishing dessert at their unfinished home near Yass. The retired mechanic, born with a deformed heart, collapsed on the concrete slab of their construction site.
Eight Minutes of Desperate CPR
Mrs Anderson, a teacher, performed chest compressions for eight agonizing minutes before paramedics arrived. "I decided that I would keep going until I was so exhausted that I collapsed and we would die together," she recalled of that traumatic 2023 incident.
While both survived, the experience marked the beginning of what the couple now describes as compromised care at Canberra Hospital, where they believe hospital politics and poor communication are putting patients at risk.
"This Rubbish Needs to Stop"
The Andersons moved from north of Albury to near Yass four years ago specifically to be closer to family and medical facilities. However, they claim Roger's cardiac care has been undermined by systemic issues since his emergency.
"This rubbish needs to stop because it's going to cost people's lives, and if it costs my husband's life, look out," Mrs Anderson warned.
Mr Anderson, who considers a senior cardiologist his primary doctor, finds himself under different specialists with each hospital admission. The public hospital system operates on a departmental care model rather than assigning individual primary doctors, with patient details shared through the Digital Health Record.
Cardiologists Speak Out
Six private cardiologists have now publicly supported ten public hospital doctors who have taken the ACT government to the Fair Work Commission, claiming patient safety and staff welfare are being compromised.
In an open letter, these specialists detailed concerning developments in Canberra's cardiac care:
- Wait times for angiograms have blown out from three to six weeks to months or longer
- One patient waited 470 days without receiving an appointment
- Many patients are being referred to NSW hospitals for procedures
- Continuity of care has been severely disrupted
Cardiologist Chris Hii revealed that almost all private cardiologists in Canberra have referred patients to NSW facilities in Wollongong, Wagga Wagga and Newcastle, where waits are typically four to six weeks.
A System in Crisis
The cardiologists attribute these problems to changes implemented at Canberra Hospital in 2022. Dr Siang Yong Soh described the current situation as "a bit of lottery" regarding wait times.
"All Canberrans, either privately insured or non-insured, should have access to cardiac procedures in Canberra within an acceptable time frame," Dr Soh stated. "Some patients who need more urgent cardiac procedures are unable to receive the procedure or unable to have the procedure done within what we think is a safe time frame."
Hospital Politics Versus Patient Care
For the Andersons, these systemic issues have had direct consequences. Disagreements among doctors about what pacemaker Mr Anderson should receive mean he will likely need to travel to Sydney for the implantation procedure.
"I think the politics of the hospital overbears the professionalism," Mr Anderson observed. "The politics comes first, the money, and the cardiologist who is trying to do the best for the patient ... is restricted."
Conflicting Accounts of Progress
Canberra Health Services has disputed claims about worsening wait times, stating that waiting lists for heart procedures have actually decreased significantly. A spokesperson reported the number of people waiting dropped from 713 in April 2024 to 389 in January 2026.
The health service attributes this improvement to "smarter scheduling that makes the best use of our resources" and maintains that patient continuity remains intact despite a new booking process.
"In the public system you may not get the choice of doctor, but you will have a specialist that is appropriate for your needs," the spokesperson explained. "Clinical decisions are made collaboratively within the treating team to ensure patients receive the most appropriate care."
Workplace Tensions Surface
The current crisis follows workplace changes that have created tension within Canberra's public hospitals. In April 2022, several cardiologists were suspended over bullying and harassment allegations, with only one subsequently reinstated.
Private cardiologists, including Dr Soh and Dr Hii, wrote to Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith in 2023 claiming cardiac care had declined since these changes. They say the situation has only deteriorated further.
Dr Hii emphasized that the cardiologists speaking out are motivated by patient welfare rather than personal or political interests. "You are talking about a majority of the staff cardiologists seem to now say that this is not right," he noted. "We need to recognise there's a problem."
Systemic Changes and Their Impact
Canberra Health Services has implemented various operational changes in recent years aimed at reducing wait times and improving access to elective surgeries. These include prioritizing patients based on wait duration and booking procedures further in advance.
The health service maintains that streamlining bookings by assigning the next available appropriate specialist, rather than waiting for specific doctors, does not compromise continuity of care.
"Continuity of care is supported by the shared Digital Health Record and the team working together for best patient outcomes," the spokesperson stated.
However, for patients like Roger Anderson and the cardiologists advocating for change, the evidence suggests a system where bureaucratic processes and workplace politics are creating dangerous delays and compromising the quality of cardiac care in Australia's capital.
