Agreement signed for extra elective surgery in Tasmania

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PDF printable version of Agreement signed for extra elective surgery in Tasmania (PDF 250 KB)

13 September 2012

Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek today announced the Commonwealth and Tasmanian Governments had signed an agreement that will deliver at least 2,600 additional elective surgery operations in Tasmania.

The first additional elective surgery procedures are expected to be undertaken before the end of this month.

The Gillard Government will invest $30.5 million over four years, as part of its $325 million Tasmanian Health Assistance Package, for additional elective surgery targeting areas that have large numbers of patients who have waited longer than the clinically recommended time.

“The Agreement will not only provide elective surgery for patients who have been waiting the longest, but will also help to ease the burden on Tasmania’s public hospital system,” said Ms Plibersek.

“We will focus on knee and hip replacements, cataract removals, gall bladder removals and hernia repairs.

“This elective surgery package has been developed in consultation with Tasmanian hospitals and frontline health professionals to ensure that it targets areas of most need.

“We want to ensure that Tasmanians get the health services when and where they need them,” she said.

As part of the first-year action plan being developed between both governments and frontline clinicians, Tasmania will be provided with $8.8 million in 2012-13 to fund a minimum of 500 additional operations.

Ms Plibersek today also announced the establishment of the new Commission on Delivery of Health Services in Tasmania. The Commission has been set up to find ways to reform the Tasmanian health system so it can be more sustainable and independent of Commonwealth intervention.

“The Commission will monitor implementation of the Assistance Package. It will also give independent advice to the Australian Government and the Tasmanian Government on how services can be improved,” Ms Plibersek said.

“Both our governments want improvements that will achieve real and sustained reform of Tasmania’s health system.”

Ms Plibersek announced that the Chair of the Commission will be the former Health Commissioner of Western Australia, Mr Alan Bansemer.

The other members of the Commission will be Tasmanian physician Dr Alasdair MacDonald and medical practitioner and lawyer Dr Heather Wellington.

The $325 million Tasmanian Health Assistance Package was announced by Ms Plibersek on 15 June 2012. In addition to the elective surgery boost, it will also include the delivery of multi-disciplinary, community based palliative care services, as well as a clinical redesign project to enable the Tasmanian health system to better cope with current pressures and meet future challenges.