CORONAVIRUS —
ELECTIVE SURGERY
169. Hon
NEIL THOMSON to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for
Health:
I refer to the temporary reduction
of non-urgent category 2 and 3 elective surgery cases in public hospitals from
14 March and private hospitals from 21 March.
(1) Why has the
government imposed this restriction in private hospitals while hospitalisation
rates in public hospitals have not reached forecast levels?
(2) What
arrangements have been undertaken to ensure that private hospitals'
surgeons, doctors and nursing staff will be
fully utilised to assist the public sector during this state-imposed
restriction in private hospitals?
(3) What will the
government do to assist in dealing with the backlog of important procedures
that will be deferred during these closures?
(4) When is it anticipated that we will see a return
of the public sector elective surgery waitlists to 2017 levels?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question.
(1) The restrictions were implemented following
consultation with, and support from, the private providers. The
restrictions are subject to frequent review to ensure they remain fit for
purpose and result in an appropriate balance
between the management of COVID-19 now in the community, and the need to
minimise disruption to regular patient care.
(2) Staff employed within the few private hospitals
impacted by restrictions to non-urgent elective surgery may be utilised
to ensure that the WA health system can continue to provide services to all Western
Australians through this current COVID-19 surge.
(3) The impacts of restrictions to non-urgent elective
surgeries on the elective surgery wait list will be reviewed at a suitable
time, with any appropriate actions to be taken during the COVID-19 recovery
phase.
(4) The total
number of elective procedures performed in the WA health system has grown
annually since 2017. In 2020–21, there were almost 20 000 more elective
procedures undertaken than in either 2016–17 or 2017–18. In the
same period, WA had the highest rate of admissions per 1 000 population of any
other Australian jurisdiction.