Expanding Elective Surgery Capacity in Our Public Hospitals
As part of its drive to reduce elective surgery waiting times, the Australiand Government will invest $800 million to improve timely access to elective surgery across the country.
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20 April 2010
As part of its drive to reduce elective surgery waiting times, the Rudd Government will invest $800 million to improve timely access to elective surgery across the country.
This includes:
- $150 million agreed at COAG today for elective surgery infrastructure, including designated Elective Surgery Centres or Day Surgery Centres – which will mean less delays and rescheduling of surgery leading to shorter waiting times for patients; and
- the $650 million announced previously for the introduction of a National Access Guarantee for elective surgery.
The National Access Guarantee will be introduced from 1 July 2012 to ensure that patients receive rapid treatment at an alterative hospital if they wait too long for surgery.
It will give all people needing an operation the certainty that they will have their surgery in a timely way and put a stop to people sometimes waiting too long to get the surgery they need.
In addition, a national target will be set for 95% of elective surgery patients to be seen within clinically recommended times by 2015.
The capital injection agreed at COAG today will be aimed at key areas of need particularly in outer metropolitan and regional locations in each State and Territory.
Capital funding for expanded elective surgery capacity will target areas of highest waiting times and other evidence of need.
New capital projects will be determined in consultation with state and territory governments.
Today’s investment brings the Commonwealth’s total investment in emergency department infrastructure to $1.4 billion – as it builds on the Government’s $600 million Elective Surgery Waiting List Reduction Plan.
This Plan has delivered more than 62,000 additional elective surgeries since it began in 2008 and provided capital funding for more than 120 hospitals to expand their elective surgery capacity.
The Australian Government will continue discussions with the Western Australian Government over the coming weeks and months about joining the National Health and Hospitals Network.
For all media inquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220.
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