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Volume 12 No 4 I September 2016 27
Access to Quality Services
Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis
Over the past year the College has
been working with the Queensland
Government in response to the
re-emergence of coal workers
pneumoconiosis (CWP), also known as
black lung.
In 2015 a number of suspected CWP
cases were identified in Queensland,
even though the disease was thought
to have been eradicated. The College
has been active in the media and
worked closely with the Queensland
Government and other stakeholders to
resolve the situation.
Over the summer period, the College
created a CWP Register of clinical
radiologists who are experienced in
screening for pneumoconiosis. This was
published early in March 2016. We have
also shared the CWP Register with key
stakeholders involved in coal mining.
The register is updated regularly to
assist patients in accessing the services
they need. Alongside this, the Faculty of
Clinical Radiology has received a range
of queries regarding the CWP Register
from stakeholders, all of which were
resolved in a timely manner.
We would like to give special thanks
to the Fellows who have provided
advice and support in the development
of the CWP Register and those who
volunteered to join the register.
Reviews
There have been two inquiries
completed on this issue, one by the
Federal Parliament’s Senate Select
Committee on Health and the other
from the Monash University Review of
Respiratory Component of the Coal
Mine Workers’ Health Scheme. The
College has monitored both and sought
to participate in any way we could.
The two inquiries have rightly identified
that the re-emergence of CWP is due to
multiple causes and there are a number
of gaps in the system that manages the
welfare of miners. This includes dust
levels in the mines, medical testing,
record keeping and coordination of
examination results.
Reforms by the Queensland
Government
The Queensland Government has
now determined that chest X-rays of
coal mine workers will be double read
through a new screening program
which was launched in July 2016. At this
stage the proposal is that the readings
will be conducted by an Australian
radiologist from the CWP Register and
subsequently a US-based National
Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) accredited reader.
It is the view of the College that no
evidence has been provided to indicate
shortcomings in the interpretation by
Australian radiologists and the evidence
does not support sending X-rays to
overseas doctors who are not registered
to provide healthcare in Australia. The
College is seeking an opportunity to
review available evidence to clarify what
went wrong.
In the meantime, we see merit in double
reading of X-rays for CWP as often
happens in screening programs. This
should however be managed sustainably
within the Australian healthcare
system through double reading by two
independent clinical radiologists from
our CWP Register.
The College will remain active in this
space as more information becomes
available and continue to engage with
stakeholders. We need to ensure that
the re-emergence of CWP is handled
appropriately and sustainably within
the Australian health system in the best
interests of miners.
If you have any questions or
comments about this article, please
contact Dr Greg Slater, c/oMark
Nevin, Senior Executive Officer,
Faculty of Clinical Radiology on