WITH a stronger stockpile of personal protective equipment nationally, there has been an expansion of elective surgeries across Australia and the ACT. 

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith says elective surgery of category two procedures and selected category three procedures will be expanded after the Anzac Day long weekend. Category one and urgent category two have been proceeding throughout the entire pandemic. 

“All up, this is about 25 per cent of activity in elective surgery in our private and public hospitals,” Ms Stephen-Smith says.

“The procedures that will be recommencing include IVF procedures, screening programs were those have ceased, post-cancer reconstructions, joint replacements, including knees, hips and shoulders, cataracts and other eye procedures, endoscopy and colonoscopy, dental procedures like fitting dentures and braces, and procedures for children under the age of 18 years.”

But, Ms Stephen-Smith says Canberra Health Services and its partners will need the week to put these measures in place.

“That includes reviewing our elective surgery capacity and considering where the most appropriate availability will be to conduct procedures,” she says.

“Canberra Health Services and its partners will take the time to do clinical reviews of their lists and be ready to resume after the long weekend. All patients whose procedures have been deferred as a result to the previous decision have remained on elective surgery waiting list during this temporary suspension. 

“Patients will be prioritised according to clinical urgency, as per the normal processes for managing elective surgery wait lists. 

“I would encourage people to wait for that call, if you’re on the waiting list, you’re still on the waiting list.”

The expansion of elective surgeries will then again be subject to review on May 11, to determine if further procedures could recommence from that time, Ms Stephen-Smith says.