How do waiting lists work?

hi there @PatsyN I am on the waiting list for recon in qld have been for the past 2 years and will be for the next 12 months at least, I am category 3 now after seeing them initially and breast recon is considered an elective procedure, and I agree it is elective but it should be the patient who decides if its elective or not not the government as far as Im concerned,  you choose to have it done or you can choose not to have it done, simple, and if you do then the wait times are ridiculous up here, Im so used to not having them now I sometimes wonder if Ill even bother.

I was put on the waiting list straight after my first mastectomy (may 16)  but that was supposed to be for my preventative mastectomy for the right side, but I had that done as a private patient in the public system 6 months after the first one so when I got my appointment at the royal bris I was surprised and when i got there they thought it was for that and not the recon! as no one updated my referal so the first one i was classed as catergory 2 (supposed to be 3 - 6 month wait but took 2 years) and now after ive seen them im now a catergory 3 (6 to 12 months)  so that will be more likely be another 2 years at least, so from my experience the wait time is supposed to start from your first referal, and I hope your wait times are more accurate down there. hope this helps, Margie xx