THE state’s overdue planned surgery waitlist has been slashed by 85% across the state since the NSW Government’s Surgical Care Governance Taskforce was first established in March 2023, according to the latest BHI data.
In a press release, the NSW Government said the outstanding commitment of our highly-skilled health staff, combined with the determined work of the Taskforce, has been instrumental in reducing the number of people exceeding the clinically recommended timeframe for planned surgery.
The government states that the taskforce, established in the early days of the NSW Labor Government, has seen 801 less people waiting for an overdue procedure at Nepean Hospital.
One of the ways the taskforce was able to achieve these results was by expanding the category of procedures eligible for same day surgery.
These include hernia repair; gallbladder removal; tonsil removal; deviated septum surgery; and sinus surgery.
Member for Penrith Karen McKeown OAM said the surgical care taskforce is one of a range of measures the NSW Government is using to take pressure off our hospitals.
“Among these measures is rolling out 25 urgent care services across NSW, empowering pharmacists to prescribe certain medications, increasing the use of virtual care, and making it easier for doctors in regional health districts to work in both GP and hospital settings,” Mrs Mckeown said.
“We are also delivering major boosts to the workforce across NSW by rolling out safe staffing levels and making 1,112 temporary nurses permanent.
“I am really proud Nepean Hospital has had a reduction in overdue surgeries, it’s a real testament to the workforce at Nepean Hospital and I am proud no one in our Penrith community is waiting longer than they need to for healthcare.
“There’s still more work to be done but I want to acknowledge the efforts of the taskforce – and the countless number of health professionals all over NSW – in ensuring people are getting the care they need as quickly as possible.
“None of this progress would be possible without the dedicated efforts of Nepean clinicians and healthcare workers, who have performed so many procedures, as well implementing a wide range of innovative strategies, in order to see the wait list return to pre-pandemic levels.”
