Patients are benefitting from improved access to planned surgery, following the Minns Labor Government's $30 million investment to expand High Volume Short Stay surgical services across the state.
The first tranche of High Volume Short Stay programs has started rolling out following a $30 million injection in late 2025 to support the delivery of innovative short stay surgery models across NSW.
The $30 million investment is expected to deliver an estimated 2,300 surgeries by 1 July 2027. This will include surgeries such as gynaecology, ear nose and throat, general surgery and orthopaedics.
As part of the initial roll out, High Volume Short Stay surgery programs have been set up in local health districts and networks across the state, including Campbelltown Hospital, Shellharbour Hospital, Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, within the Sydney Children's Hospital Network, and across Western NSW and the Mid North Coast.
These programs are helping to improve access to care, reduce wait times, and enhance patient outcomes.
High Volume Short Stay surgeries are planned procedures where patients are admitted for up to 72 hours.
These surgeries generally include ear, nose and throat surgery, general surgery, gynaecology, urology, ophthalmology and orthopaedics, and account for more than 80 per cent of all surgery undertaken in NSW public hospitals.
The number of overdue surgeries peaked at more than 18,000 under the Liberals. Since being elected, the Minns Labor Government has reduced the number of people waiting longer than clinically recommended from 14,059 in March 2023 to 3,955 in March 2026.
The $30 million one-off injection builds on the $200 million invested since 2024 to reduce overdue surgeries, and the establishment of the state's first Surgery Hub at Northern Beaches Hospital, which has been active since 1 July and is expected to perform up to 5,000 additional surgeries per year.
The 2026-27 NSW Budget also included $10.3 billion to support increased capacity across the health system, including to deliver an estimated 2,900 additional planned surgeries.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Ryan Park:
"The Minns Labor Government has taken action to slash the overdue surgery waitlist left behind by the Coalition.
"We are investing in surgery services across the state, expanding access to care, cutting wait times, and improving patient outcomes.
"These High Volume Surgical programs are exactly the kind of innovative care we want to see, and I'm looking forward to seeing this model expanded across NSW."
