Last week listener Vince called Ben Fordham to share how his son’s surgery for a broken wrist was pushed back four days in a row.

He told Ben his stepson would fast ahead of his surgery and prepare himself for his operation, only to be told an emergency had come up and is surgery was cancelled.

Vince’s story prompted Carrie to ring in and share how in 2014 her daughter was born with three holes in her heart and desperately needed surgery.

But the 11-week-old’s open-heart surgery was bumped five times.

For answers on why vulnerable Australians are facing long waiting times in hospitals, Ben has called on former nurse and NSW Health Deputy Secretary Susan Pearce.

She says it’s “clearly not” acceptable.

“It’s absolutely the last thing we want for patients to experience when they come into our health system.

“We know how stressful it is for anyone waiting for surgery and we do absolutely everything we can to make sure times of those postponements don’t happen.”

Listener Gant called in to tell Ms Pearce and Ben in November last year his 14-year-old daughter was experiencing excruciating pain in her left foot, leaving her unable to walk.

He says the hospital didn’t provide much information but said they could book in for a CT scan or MRI, except the next available appointment wasn’t until March 2018.

“My heart goes out to you and I have a 14-year-old daughter as well so I know the anxiety of parenthood.”

Ms Pearce has vowed to follow up on Grant’s case to understand why it happened.

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview