As a young man serving overseas in the Royal Australian Air Force, Mr Rolley had a tattoo done that he now believes is responsible for his Hepatitis C diagnosis in 2006.

"I was young and bullet-proof so I got a few tattoos," Mr Rolley said.

"I picked what I thought was a reputable tattoo parlour and never gave it a second thought until I was diagnosed with the virus years later."

Mr Rolley also suffers from a rare heart condition resulting in regular ambulance call outs, and he said he worries about the risks his blood-borne disease poses for doctors and ambulance officers who treat him.

"There is treatment that can possibly make me well and stop all this worry - I just can't get an appointment with a doctor to get it started," Mr Rolley said.

Although diagnosed nearly four years ago, Gavin was categorised as a low risk, category three patient. He is still waiting for anti-viral treatment at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, making do with treatment from his GP in the meantime.

His case is now being held up by Redlands MP Peter Dowling as an "unbelievable" example of the wait experienced by outpatients with serious conditions.

"Mr Rolley has already waited more than three years and the longer he waits, the more likely it is that his condition will result in cirrhosis or cancer - both of which will kill him," Mr Dowling said.

"In this day and age it's unthinkable that someone should have to watch their health deteriorate from a curable illness."

A statement from Queensland Health said Mr Rolley is due to be seen this year, in line with a four-year wait he was told to expect in 2006.

"Only a minority of Hepatitis C patients (10 - 20 per cent) will actually progress to cirrhosis of the liver and this progression is slow (over 20 to 30 years from their initial infection)," the statement said.

"That means many people who are triaged as category three will wait for longer but will not have adverse outcomes and they are actively monitored for changes through a management plan with their GP.

"Queensland Health and Princess Alexandra Hospital are looking for ways to treat more people, with alternatives for Hepatitis C patients such as shared care arrangements, increased GP involvement in prescribing anti-viral therapy and greater nursing management of patients in specialist clinics."

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne illness most commonly contracted through intravenous drug use but also through poorly sterilised equipment such as that used by dentists, doctors, acupuncturists, hairdressers, tattoo artists, body piercers and beauty therapists. Needle-stick injuries and sharing personal hygiene equipment, such as razors or toothbrushes, with an infected person can also cause transmission of the virus. Hepatitis C is not transmitted through everyday social contact or by sharing items such as crockery, cutlery, shower and toilet facilities.

WAITING FOR TREATMENT

QUEENSLAND Health statistics show 1006 patients

are currently on the waiting list across three categories

of priority:

? Category one (life-threatening, liver cancer or liver failure):

8 patients.

? Category two (cirrhosis of the liver): 240 patients.

? Category three (monitoring of Hepatitis C through GP organised blood tests): 758 patients.

The waiting list for category three patients is currently

four years. Patients are categorised by a specialist

hepatologist based on information provided by the

patients’ GPs.

Princess Alexandra Hospital sees an average of 84

outpatient referrals per month for consultation and

treatment.