SA Libs seek cancer bungle compensation

South Australia's government should expedite compensation for women whose breast cancer diagnoses were missed, Opposition Leader Steven Marshall says.

South Australia's government should speed up compensation offers for the "forgotten" victims of a breast cancer screening bungle, the opposition says.

A government report found BreastScreen SA missed potentially detectable cancer diagnoses in 72 women, two of whom have since died, between 2010 and 2012.

"The government hasn't acted in a responsible time frame ... we want to see timely and fair justice and compensation for these victims," Opposition Leader Steven Marshall told reporters on Wednesday.

A review of more than 53,000 digital breast screens was ordered after health officials found a fall in cancer detection rates during the changeover from analogue to digital screens.

About 5000 were found to be faulty, with 570 women called back for further testing.

Mr Marshall claimed the government had received a "significant number" of claims from the victims but had yet to offer them compensation.

He will seek to pressure the government by inviting victims to give evidence before a parliamentary committee currently examining a separate chemotherapy under-dosing scandal.

"The government was dragged kicking and screaming to sort out the compensation for the chemotherapy dosing bungle victims," Mr Marshall said.

"We don't want that same situation to occur for these victims."

The government has offered undisclosed payouts to 10 cancer patients who received incorrect chemotherapy treatment at two Adelaide hospitals because of a typographical error.

Eight clinicians have been referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency over the bungle and could be deregistered if adverse conduct is discovered.

Health Minister Jack Snelling on Wednesday told parliament the government had offered compensation to victims of the BreastScreen bungle if they had made claims.

He did not elaborate on how many claims were received or what compensation was offered.


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Source: AAP



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