Nearly 200,000 Victorians will get the surgery they need sooner this year, with Australia’s largest ever one-off investment to tackle elective surgery waiting lists in the 2016-17 Victorian Budget.
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy today joined Member for Ivanhoe Anthony Carbines and Member for Eltham Vicki Ward at Austin Health’s Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital to announce a record boost for elective surgery.
As part of this package, hospitals across Victoria – including Austin Health – will also share in a funding boost to build new theatres, open more beds and buy more equipment so they can treat more patients, more quickly.
This record investment in elective surgery will mean the patients currently waiting the longest for surgeries will get the surgeries they need sooner and move off hospital waiting lists.
Those patients waiting the longest, with the most complex surgeries, will be prioritised.
This additional funding for this year is the equivalent of:
- Around 3,100 more coronary artery by-pass grafts
- Around 6,700 more hip replacements
- Around 6,800 more knee replacements
- Around 22,000 more sinus and ear operations
- Around 34,000 more eye surgeries
Under the former Liberal Government, Victorians were waiting too long for vital surgeries and treatments with an average of 158,000 patients receiving surgery per year.
The $335 million boost includes funding over four years for additional elective surgery and an immediate $20 million capital works injection.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“We know that patients waiting for elective surgeries want to be seen sooner and we’re getting it done.”
“We want Victorians happy and healthy. The sooner they can get their surgeries, the sooner they can recover and get back to their normal lives and families.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Ivanhoe Anthony Carbines
“This funding will support hospitals to treat more patients, more quickly and help get patients off waiting lists.”
“Here at Austin Health, our investment will mean more surgery beds so local patients can get the surgeries and treatment they need, close to home and as soon as possible.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Eltham Vicki Ward
”By taking action to cut waiting lists here at Austin Health and across Victoria we are putting patients first.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020