An audit by NSW Health has turned up about 20,000 endoscopy tests that are overdue. The NSW government now says it will intervene to fast track many of the delayed procedures. The stakes are high because endoscopies are a main tool for catching bowel cancer, and long waits can push a diagnosis into a later stage. Doctors had been warning about growing queues for some time, and patients left waiting months past their dates added their own complaints. That combined pressure appears to have pushed the government to move. Health officials have been directed to find ways to bring the backlog down, though the mechanics of the plan have not been spelled out in detail. Hospitals and clinics will likely need extra theatre time or contracted private capacity to clear the numbers. For patients still in the queue, the real test is whether the fast track arrives in the coming months.