April 2009

Hospitals surpass elective surgery target

Waiting lists for elective surgery in Victorian hospitals have fallen as a result of a concerted Victorian and Commonwealth Government blitz.

Health Minister Daniel Andrews said public hospitals had performed an extra 13,478 elective operations in 2008, which far outstripped a target of 9,400 set in a major Victorian and Federal initiative announced in March last year.

Victoria’s hospitals performed a record 143,817 elective surgery procedures for the year, as more people were moved off waiting lists.

‘The State Government is working together with the Federal Government to achieve major improvements in hospitals and healthcare.

‘I congratulate our doctors, nurses, hospital administrators and all other staff involved in achieving what was an ambitious target.

‘The two governments combined to inject an extra $60 million into Victorian hospitals as part of an elective surgery blitz and these figures show it has paid dividends for Victorian patients.

Mr Andrews said the Government was taking action to ensure Victorians had the highest-quality health services, regardless of where they lived.

‘We’re taking action to ensure Victorians have a world-class health system, because we want Victorian families to get the treatment and care they deserve,’ he said.

‘Since 1999, Victoria’s hospitals have treated more than one million elective surgery patients.’

Mr Andrews said Victorian initiatives to further tackle waiting lists and waiting times included a greater emphasis on elective surgery with the opening of day surgery facilities at Yarra Ranges Health and the opening of Austin Health’s Surgical Centre last year.