The Tasmanian Government is continuing to invest to ensure more Tasmanians get their elective surgery sooner, with our new Elective Surgery Four-Year Plan 2025-2029 released today.
More than $70 million will be invested over the next four years to implement our new plan and to continue the momentum that has been seen under our first Four-Year Plan.
The new Four-Year Plan will boost surgical supply, optimise care pathways, and improve service quality.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff visited the Royal Hobart Hospital today, outlining the Government's plan to double down on our efforts to give more Tasmanians their elective surgery sooner.
"This has been a space we have been targeting now for some time and not only are we meeting demand as it arrives through emergency procedures, we are also targeting those patients who are waiting longer than the recommended time frames," the Premier said.
"For decades now, Tasmania has faced increasing demand for elective surgery with an ageing population – but through our efforts and investments, we have been chipping away at it and getting Tasmanians their procedures sooner.
"Despite the setbacks of COVID and increasing demand – we have continued the momentum and backed our health workers in to do what they do best – care for Tasmanians.
"Our success in driving down the wait list since COVID has been the result of having a sensible, clinician-led plan. The plan is working. And with our new investments through our next Four-Year Plan, we will continue to see improvements and better health outcomes for Tasmanians."
Minister for Health, Jacquie Petrusma, said the Tasmanian health system has been delivering record volumes of elective surgeries and endoscopies through our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future, and we will work closely with doctors, nurses, allied health and other health professionals as we roll out the new plan.
"Our first Four-Year Plan was nation leading, as we've seen a record number of elective surgeries delivered, and the highest per capita admission rate for elective surgery of any state or territory," Minister Petrusma said.
"In the last financial year alone, our hospitals carried out more than 22,000 elective surgeries, on top of the emergency surgeries and procedures required.
"As well, we have increased by 42.5 per cent our surgical staff FTE across the Tasmanian Health Service.
"This plan will build on this momentum and will deliver nearly 88,000 elective surgeries across the next four years, up from 82,000 in the previous four, to ensure more Tasmanians receive their elective surgery, sooner.
"I would like to recognise our dedicated doctors, nurses, and health professionals for their hard work day in and day out on the frontline that has enabled us to deliver record volumes of elective procedures in the midst of record levels of demand."
