The Hodgman Liberal Government is continuing the work rebuilding Tasmania’s health system.
We have invested a record amount in our health system, but to get better outcomes more needs to be done.
With the economy growing and the Budget coming back under control, we can now invest the dividends of this into the core business of government, such as health.
Today I can announce more Tasmanians will get their elective surgery sooner as a result of the opening of three new theatres at the Launceston General and Royal Hobart Hospitals.
Two theatres at the LGH and one at the RHH will open from Monday.
In addition a new short stay surgical unit (SSSU) at the LGH will begin operation as part of the LGH Support Plan announced late last year.
The new theatres will increase capacity across the public system in the second half of this financial year.
It’s expected more than 1250 additional elective surgical cases will be completed with the opening of the operating theatres.
Recent data on elective surgery activity shows it has already grown by five per cent compared to the same period in 2014-15 as a result of our reforms and funding.
Consistent with the THS elective surgery capacity, elective surgery activity will increase by 23 per cent in the second half of this financial year, compared to the same period in 2014-15.
This will be facilitated by the strategy which includes opening of the three new theatres and the utilisation of existing private hospital contracts and the new private panel arrangements. The Tasmanian Health Service (THS) has set ambitious surgical targets to help reduce public hospital waiting lists.
To date the THS has completed close to 9500 surgical cases this financial year.
The additional theatre capacity coupled with the use of private contracts will enable the THS to meet its ambitious 2015-16 targets.
The opening of the SSSU at the LGH will allow for the separation of medical day procedures and surgical day procedures/surgery, which will increase efficiency.
The hospital’s day procedure unit will handle medical cases including endoscopy, cardiology, infusions and pre and post angiography.
The SSSU will admit and process all elective surgery patients prior to transfer to theatre and will provide post-operative care.
An additional 15 nurses and four support staff have been recruited to the LGH.
These improvements will be complemented by the dedicated elective surgery service we are establishing at the Mersey, which commenced in September 2015 with an additional 300 additional endoscopy procedures performed at MCH each year.
The Mersey 23 hour surgical service will be fully implemented in July this year.