According to the Elective Surgery Wait List, Report Western Australian Public Hospitals at the end of June 2016, the number of patients on elective surgery wait lists hit almost 20,000.
When the Barnett Government came to power, wait list number in September 2008 were at 12,275. Eight years later, after the opening of a new hospital, the wait list now has 19,874 patients on it.
From the report:
"At the end of June 2016 there was a total of 19,874 cases on elective surgery wait lists (ESWLs) at all public hospitals, of which 1,176 were Category 1, 4,939 were Category 2 and 13,759 were Category 3.*
There were 204 (17.3%), 767 (15.5%) and 264 (1.9%) of Category 1, 2 and 3 cases respectively on waitlist for longer than the clinically recommended time.
The median waiting time for all patients on all ESWLs was 2.10 months, with a median waiting time of 2.27 months for the metropolitan ESWLs and 1.81 months for the WACHS (regional) ESWLs."
We have a record number of patients on the waitlist and they are waiting longer than ever to receive their operations.
Under the Barnett Liberal Government there’s been a 60% increase in the elective surgery waitlist.
While there has been a 60% increase in the number of people on the waitlist, there is only a 25% increase in the number of patients receiving operations each month.
The Barnett Liberal Government is losing the battle against the demand for elective surgery with more patients joining the queue each month.
With a brand new hospital designed to ease the load in Fiona Stanley Hospital, you'd think that the list would be less. We're sure that West Australians are not thrilled that they can still wait over a year for elective surgery. Do you have a story about waiting for a procedure? Tell us at [email protected]
*Category 1 Procedures that are clinically indicated within 30 days.Category 2 Procedures that are clinically indicated within 90 days.Category 3 Procedure that are clinically indicated within 365 days
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References:
Elective Surgery Wait List, Report Western Australian Public Hospitals, Government of Western Australia Department of Health, June 2016