Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Health
The Tasmanian Liberal Government's elective surgery increase is underpinned by a clear roadmap for the delivery of a sustainable statewide elective surgery and endoscopy program over the next four years.
The Statewide Elective Surgery Four-Year Plan 2021-25, released today, delivers on a commitment outlined in our First 100 Day Plan, and importantly is clinician led and patient focused.
The health and wellbeing of Tasmanians is an absolute priority for our Government and while the latest data for June showed some encouraging improvements to the elective surgery waitlist, with a decrease of nearly 1000 people, we know there is more to do.
We are working hard to reduce the elective surgery waiting list, because behind every case is a person requiring care, and we must do better.
Our Plan will deliver an additional 22,300 surgeries, which will mean more Tasmanians will receive the surgery they need within clinically recommended timeframes.
The Plan outlines statewide and regional strategies to achieve this, including:
- Using existing capacity more efficiently and effectively;
- Strengthening private sector partnerships through our $20 million fund and by providing greater clarity about outsourcing arrangements across the four years of the Plan;
- Investing in public sector infrastructure and equipment to improve theatre, clinic and ward capacity;
- Investing in our workforce so our staff are supported to increase elective surgery; and
- Implementing innovative improvement and service development programs such as musculoskeletal triage assessment and joint assessment services to increase access to alternate care when surgery isn't needed.
To support this Plan, the new Trauma and Acute Surgical Unit (Ward 6A) at the Royal Hobart Hospital will open this week and provide, at capacity, an additional 24 beds.
The Plan has been developed by the Statewide Surgical and Perioperative Services Steering Committee and I would like to thank the Committee for their work.
Collaboration is key to achieving the best health outcomes for Tasmanians, and we are committed to continuing to work with clinicians, nurses, health professionals and stakeholders to ensure our health system is the best it can be, so that patients can get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
The full plan is available at https://www.health.tas.gov.au/news/2021/statewide_elective_surgery_four-year_plan
