$1.1M Funding to Reduce Elective Surgery Waiting Times in Adelaide

PDF Prinable version of $1.1M Funding to Reduce Elective Surgery Waiting Times in Adelaide (PDF 18 KB)

3 July 2009

Residents of Bedford Park and the surrounding areas in Adelaide will benefit from a $1.1 million investment by the Rudd Government in an operating theatre and surgical equipment, Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, announced today.

“This will lead to an improvement in elective surgery times in the area,” Minister Elliot said.

A total of $8.1 million has been provided to South Australia to boost the amount of elective surgery carried out in the state.

The Flinders Medical Centre at Bedford Park has received $458,000 to recommission an operating theatre and a further $660,000 to improve ear nose and throat surgery, plastic surgery and general surgery services.

The funding comes as the second stage of the Rudd Government’s elective surgery plan which aims to clear the backlog of people waiting too long for their surgery.

Stage one of the plan has already boosted the number of elective surgical procedures in South Australia – an injection of $13.6 million allowed 3,196 patients to have the procedures they needed in 2008.

This second stage, $150 million invested in infrastructure and equipment, will improve hospital capacity and elective surgery systems, to speed up surgery in the future.

The elective surgery plan is set to boost surgical services even more when the third and final stage begins later this year with $300 million delivered to states and territories in 2009-11.

“The elective surgery funding forms part of an overall record package of $64 billion over five years from the Rudd Government to improve health outcomes. This involves a boost of more than $20 billion – a 50 per cent increase over the last Australian Health Care Agreements under the previous government,” Minister Elliot said.

Member for Kingston, Amanda Rishworth welcomed the investment in Flinders Medical Centre.

Ms Rishworth said, “Residents in the northern end of my electorate will benefit from this investment by the Rudd Government.

“The Rudd Government is committed to investing in the health system and working with the Rann Government to see positive outcomes for all South Australians,” said Ms Rishworth.

Details: please contact the Minister's office on 02 6277 7280.