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Doctors and Medical Professionals

Big dog Rugar doesn't mind saving lives as long as the treats and pats keep rolling in

With pet blood products in constant short supply, donations from dogs such as Rugar are the difference between life and death at busy veterinary hospitals.
A large dog on a treatment table next to a vet drawing blood.

Launceston hospital former top doctor allegedly covered up causes of death to avoid coronial scrutiny, nurse claims

The former head of medical services at a major Tasmanian hospital allegedly falsified medical certificates of death, a registered nurse and midwife tells a parliamentary committee.
Updated
A women with blonde hair tied back into a ponytail looks towards the camera.

Woman's husband administered morphine while waiting for ambulance

A man still grieving the loss of his mother in January says Tasmanian ambulance paramedics had to ask him to provide blankets and pillows to transport her safely and comfortably — meanwhile, an inquiry into the service hears apologies over long wait times and inadequate care.
Updated
Ambulance Tasmania paramedic at rear of vehicle.

Inquest hears social worker doubted parents could care for premature baby at home, but did not report concerns

A social worker tells an inquest into the death of a baby boy, 11 days after he was discharged from a north Queensland hospital, that she did not report her concerns about his parents to the Department of Child Safety.
Updated
A premature baby's hand holds the fingers of an adult hand.

Blood clots can be deadly. But this 'simple' 20-minute technique can save lives

Wollongong surgeon Laurencia Villalba's technique uses a catheter to "destroy" and "dissolve" pulmonary embolisms. Here's how it works.
Woman wearing navy surgery scrubs and hat smiling

You can't put a price on health – but in Nick's case, it was almost $23,000

Nick Ham lost about half his body weight after spending more than $20,000 on bariatric surgery -- much of it paid for by his dad, who withdrew from his superannuation on compassionate grounds.
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Nick Ham before and after weight-loss surgery.

Major research funding for childhood brain cancers gives families hope

The federal government says up to $20 million will be made available over seven years to find treatments for childhood brain cancers, including Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).
Eve Daher smiling with a balloon in the shape of the number eight.

This doctor says ableism has hindered her career in medicine, and she wants the stigma to end

Hannah achieved her dream of becoming a doctor — but she says it's come at a great cost due to the traumatic discrimination she's faced.
Updated
Anonymised pic of a doctor's hands at a desk holding a stethoscope

Calls for more specialist training as doctors choose between dream jobs and staying home

When Lisa Gilbert was deciding what to specialise in, she had to choose between her dream physician job or staying in the region that had become her home due to limited training options outside the city.
A smiling woman standing in front of a medical bed with a stethoscope around her neck

Bulk billing rates rise after Government incentives

The data show free appointments have risen – especially in areas with historically low rates of bulk billing.
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 52 seconds

'I said X-ray and she said no': The stories you told us about Tasmania's healthcare system

We ask people for their experiences of Tasmania's ailing health system and hear of misdiagnoses, long waits for treatment or, worse still, no treatment at all. But we also receive some good reports.
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Timothy King

'Your boyfriend is lucky': Canberra doctor's registration torn up after non-consensual breast exam, sexual inappropriateness

Canberra doctor Nathem Al-Naser is banned from providing health services after authorities find he was sexually inappropriate towards two female patients.
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Canberra doctor Nathem Al-Naser

Greta was determined to breastfeed, but when she took her baby back to her remote home, everything fell apart

Some women who desperately want to breastfeed their babies are giving up because of a lack of support in regional and rural Australia. 
Updated
Two women with heads close together with woman on right holding a newborn baby

Mums reveal confusion, heartache, financial burden of giving birth away from home

Often feeling scared and alone, women are making a 950-kilometre round trip from Carnarvon to give birth at the nearest hospital.
Updated
Woman holds baby while staring into the camera. The baby is looking away from the camera. The woman has light brown hair.

'Prohibitive' cost, long wait times force regional resident to drive four hours for MRI

They are essential to diagnosing brain, skeletal, and organ problems, but if you live in this regional area you won't find a bulk-billed MRI easily.
Updated
An athlete has an MRI at the Queensland Brain Institute

How a passing comment during doctor's appointment saved Alf's life

A simple visit to the doctor for a script turns into a medical emergency for Alf Cantrell with a trip to Sydney to unblock three coronary arteries. 
Updated
A man in a plaid shirt stands on a bridge in a park.

Exodus of GPs leaves city of 20,000 facing healthcare crisis

A veteran GP says he is scrambling to keep his outback Queensland clinic working, as calls grow for an urgent fix to staff shortages.
Updated
An aerial showing an outback city at night

NT short of teachers as back-to-school approaches

There are over 130 classroom vacancies in Territory public schools, which comes on top of a shortage of over 200 nurses.
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 46 seconds

Insurance concerns get in the way of genetic testing

More Australians are able to undertake tests that help determine hidden health risks, but doing so can make it hard for them to get life insurance, leaving a difficult choice.
Updated
ABC News Current
Duration: 6 minutes 51 seconds

It’s a simple test that can save lives, but those who take it can face a legal form of financial discrimination 

Because genetic testing found Meg Herrmann had an increased risk of breast cancer, life insurers can legally use that information to discriminate against her.
Updated
Woman wearing a black top smiling for a portrait.

'I thought I could get it sorted in a couple of days': Lengthy mammogram waits, out-of-pocket costs for women

With one in seven Australian women likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, concern is growing about the wait times for diagnostic mammograms around the country.
Updated
A radiologist uses a magnifying glass to check mammograms for breast cancer

Safely reducing the use of anti-depressants

There's a growing push to re-think antidepressant use in Australia due to high dispensing rates.
Updated
ABC News Current
Duration: 4 minutes 6 seconds

Growing up, Jim spent his weekends fishing, boating and swimming. Now he is paying for those days

This 64-year-old outback man recently had skin cancer removed from the top of his head.  It is one of hundreds he has had after a youth spent in the sun. 
A Caucasian man in a hat sits on a park bench, putting something in the pocketof his light shirt, khaki pants, greenery behind.

Elders suffering due to youth crime as nurses evacuate after break-in, community leader says

Elderly people in a remote Western Desert community missed out on medication and healthcare because of the actions of a "few kids", community leader Devon Cuimara says.
Updated
A man wearing a hat with a long white beard smiles in front of a green hedge.

Family puts off having another baby as Biloela's maternity service remains closed

Katie Craig's son was born prematurely just three weeks before the Biloela maternity service went on bypass. She would like another baby, but finds the thought of being without a service nearby terrifying.
Woman looks adoringly at baby, baby laughs