A FUNDING boost of $6.4million will see more than 600 patients come off the waiting list by the end of this financial year, according to Minister for Health and Wellbeing Meegan Fitzharris.

Ms Fitzharris says the ACT government funding boost will help patients across all categories of elective surgery, with the aim of providing surgery within clinically recommended timeframes wherever possible.

“And it will mean a record number of more than 13,000 elective surgeries [will be] achieved this financial year,” she says. 

“This will be accomplished by delivering more surgeries both in the public and private system by increasing the allocation of operating sessions to those specialties with high demand, such as paediatric and adult general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, urology and gynaecological surgery.

“By working collaboratively with Calvary Public Hospital and the private hospitals, we can take a broader approach to the allocation of operating sessions, surgeon and anaesthetist availability, and maximise the use of theatres, doctors and other health staff.

“As well as addressing our elective surgery waiting times right now, we also have a longer term plan to address these issues through a targeted workforce attraction strategy.

“The new Surgical Procedures, Interventional Radiology and Emergency (SPIRE) Centre will also significantly boost the number of operating theatres at Canberra Hospital.

“With this increased level of theatre capacity, we will have dedicated theatres available for elective surgery and dedicated theatres for more complex procedures, trauma and emergency surgery. This will provide increased capacity and allow for better management of emergency and elective surgeries to avoid delays and rescheduling as our community continues to grow.

“With SPIRE we will also have dedicated theatres for maternity, gynaecology and paediatric surgery.”