To support patient access to elective surgery and address wait lists, elective surgery activity is being boosted in 2023-24. The remaining theatres have been rebuilt at North Canberra Hospital (NCH) following the electrical fire in 2022 and are expected to come back online next month.
Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said an expanded partnership with private hospitals, increased bariatric surgery and expansion of the Good Life with Arthritis: Denmark (GLA:D) education and exercise program will strengthen elective surgery capacity and support for patients waiting for a joint replacement.
The impact of the fire on elective surgery capacity has been significant in the past year, but despite this much has been achieved.
"This has been a very difficult time for staff and patients impacted by the fire, which also comes off the back of substantial disruption as a result of COVID-19 and other respiratory illness.
"Despite the fire, COVID-19 and other disruptions over the last few years, there were some 12,629 elective surgeries performed in 2022-23 across the Territory.
"Canberra Hospital met its elective surgery target across the financial year, while managing increased emergency surgery demand.
"There has also been a truly collaborative effort across the ACT health system, with our public and private hospitals working together through these challenges and supporting their patients.
"This is a real testament to our health workers in the ACT and I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of both clinical and non-clinical staff to achieve this many surgeries during this time."
The NCH theatre restoration will be completed in October, bringing back online the remaining three theatres, a procedure room and patient recovery area, which needed to be entirely rebuilt following the fire. The day surgery waiting area has also been repaired and upgraded.
"Having all theatres at NCH back up and running will see surgical activity resume at pre-fire levels, increasing capacity across the system."
"I would like to thank the team at NCH for their tireless work in restoring this vital infrastructure."
Enhanced elective surgery initiatives being progressed over the financial year, include:
- An expanded partnership with private hospitals, including undertaking surgeries in NSW and through the Territory Wide Surgical Services Public Private Partnership, and outsourcing surgeries where appropriate for specific sub-specialities such as Ear, Nose and Throat and Gynaecology procedures.
- An increased number of Bariatric Surgeries in the public system.
- Temporary expansion of the GLA:D program to support joint patients. The expansion will help patients stay active and mobile while waiting for surgery.
"The ACT Government is committed to delivering more elective surgeries for Canberrans and we are continually putting strategies in place to deliver on this.
"The 2023-24 ACT Budget included an additional $6.7 million to address the significant impact of the pandemic and theatre fire, with a target of 15,500 public elective surgeries this financial year, which would be a record number for the Territory.
"This builds on previous investments that saw the ACT out-perform other jurisdictions in waitlist removals through the COVID period until the Calvary Public Hospital theatre fire," Minister Stephen-Smith said.
