- Published:
- Monday 1 August 2016
The number of Victorian patients waiting for elective surgery is at its lowest level since June 2010.
The latest Victorian Health Services Performance data, released today, shows the state’s hospitals admitted and treated 48,222 patients from the elective surgery waiting list in the June quarter – the highest number ever.
On 30 June this year, 37,004 people remained on the list – the lowest number since the last year of the Brumby Labor Government, when 36,988 patients were waiting for elective surgery.
University Hospital Geelong has played its role in the significant improvement in elective surgery waits, reducing the number of patients waiting for surgery to 1,079 at the end of June.
Waiting lists skyrocketed during the term of the Liberals, hitting a record 50,054 patients in March 2013.
Ambulance response figures, also released today, show that most Victorians communities are waiting less time for an ambulance.
Since the election of the Andrews Labor Government, the average time for an ambulance to reach the scene of a Code 1 accident or emergency has improved across most of the state, with significant improvements in reaching time-critical patients.
The reduced wait times reflect the Labor Government’s boost to hospital and ambulance funding.
The 2016/17 Victorian Budget included a $335 million boost for elective surgery and an immediate $20 million capital works injection. As part of this year’s Budget, $60 million was provided to the Response Time Rescue Fund to improve responses times for patients waiting for an ambulance.
The VHSP shows University Hospital Geelong performed strongly in a number of key areas, including:
- Treated 2000 patients from the elective surgery waiting list in the June quarter, up on the 1862 waiting list admissions in the previous 3 months.
- Reduction in the number of patients on the elective surgery waiting list – from 1118 at the end of the June 2015 quarter to 1079 at the end of June.
- Saw 17,007 patients who presented to the emergency department in the 3 months to the end of June – up from 15,775 presentations a year earlier.
- Treated 100% of Category 1 emergency patients immediately on arrival at the hospital ED in the 3 months to the end of June.
- Increased the percentage of patients treated in emergency within clinically recommended times, across all categories.
Our hospitals admitted more patients in the June quarter than ever before – 445,145 patients, 7.1 per cent more than a year earlier. Hospitals also saw 420,766 patients in the emergency department – up from 402,681 a year earlier. Emergency department attendances have increased by over 36 per cent in the last four years, with the level of care patients need also increasing, placing more pressure on emergency department staff.
Quotes attributable to Acting Minister for Health Martin Foley
“Elective surgery waiting lists blew out to more than 50,000 under the Liberals. The Andrews Labor Government has pulled the waiting lists back to their lowest level in six years, and patients are receiving their operations more quickly.”
Quote attributable to Member for Geelong Christine Couzens
“Geelong’s elective surgery patients are receiving their operations quicker as a result of our record Budget funding.”
Quote attributable to Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville
“University Hospital Geelong is playing its role in this improvement in ensuring more people get their elective surgery, and get it quicker.”
Quote attributable to Member for Lara John Eren
“The latest Performance data confirms that Geelong and our other hospitals are working hard and treating more patients despite the money being ripped away from them by the Federal Liberal Government.”