NSW Health is continuing to use testing machines known to produce inaccurate results for measuring blood lead levels in children, raising concerns about missed diagnoses and delayed treatment.

The machines have documented accuracy problems, The Guardian reported, yet remain in use across the state's pathology network for testing children exposed to lead contamination.

Lead exposure in children can cause permanent neurological damage, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems - even at low levels. Accurate testing is critical for identifying at-risk children and implementing interventions before irreversible harm occurs.

Mate, we're talking about kids' brains. And right now, NSW is using equipment everyone knows doesn't work properly.

The continued use of faulty equipment appears to be driven by cost and convenience rather than clinical best practice. Replacing the machines across NSW Health's extensive pathology network would require significant capital investment, which the state government has been reluctant to approve.

Concerns about the testing equipment have been raised internally for months, according to sources familiar with the matter. Pathologists and pediatricians have flagged discrepancies between the machine results and more accurate laboratory testing methods.

The issue came to wider attention following cases where children with known lead exposure returned borderline or negative results on the machines, only to show elevated levels when retested using alternative methods. The delays in diagnosis meant children missed critical windows for intervention.

Lead contamination remains a persistent problem in parts of Sydney and regional NSW, particularly in areas with legacy industrial sites, older housing stock with lead paint, and communities near former mining operations. Broken Hill has been a particular focus, with elevated lead levels detected in children living near the historic mining town.

Public health advocates argue that accurate, accessible testing should be a basic standard of care, not a cost center to be optimized. The long-term costs of untreated lead exposure - in special education, healthcare, and lost productivity - far exceed the price of reliable testing equipment.