The State Government has made a significant investment to ensure the most urgent surgeries in Victoria are delivered faster than anywhere else in Australia.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas visited the Blackburn Public Surgical Centre which was established by the Labor Government to slash surgery wait lists – to announce an additional two theatres are now open.
“Our public surgical centres in Blackburn and Frankston, along with other reform including our Patient Support Units and grants programs for health services, are helping us delivery Victorians faster, safer care when they need it,” Ms Thomas said.
“The pandemic put health systems around the world under unprecedented pressure – Victoria was no different and with a clear plan to catch up on planned surgery, we have been able to deliver remarkable results for Victorians.”
Taking the centre to a total of four theatres, the new spaces are providing further capacity to deliver more surgery and help cut surgery wait times.
Delivered alongside the Frankston Public Surgical Centre – the centres have the capacity to provide more than 14,700 planned surgeries every year.
“With more theatres now available at Blackburn Public Surgical Centre, locals can be assured that the surgery they need will be delivered faster, closer to home,” Member for Glen Waverley John Mullahy said.
The two new theatres at Blackburn will help dedicated staff to undertake procedures across a range of specialties including same day endoscopy, orthopaedics, plastics, gynaecology, urology, and ear, nose and throat.
It comes as the Labor Government also announces two new grants programs as part of ongoing, long-term reform to how planned surgery is delivered in Victoria.
More than $4 million has been delivered to 16 health services to expand access to same day surgery – helping reduce wait times by allowing for a higher volume of care without compromising quality and safety.
While an additional program – Better Access for Vic Kids – is delivering $780,000 in grants to six health services to ensure patients under 18 have shorter wait times for surgery.
Eastern Health will receive funding to support high intensity theatre wait lists focused on paediatric ear, nose and throat cases – particularly in the school holiday period with a focus on tonsillectomy and grommets.
“Our investments into planned surgery have already made a difference to locals across Ashwood, and with these new theatres and grants, Eastern Health will be able to deliver even more care, faster,” Member for Ashwood Matt Fregon.
The health service will also receive funding for a more staff to assist with conducting audits of paediatric waitlists to identify vulnerable children to ensure they get their surgery sooner.
These latest investments come as once again, quarterly data shows that 100 per cent of Category One planned surgery patients were treated in the clinically recommended timeframe between October and December.
“Faster care is better for everyone – it means less pressure on our hospitals across the city’s east and getting people back on their feet sooner,” Member for Box Hill Paul Hamer said.
It follows data released this month by the Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services that shows Victoria is the only state or territory to treat all Category One planned surgery patients on time.
