Hospital wait blitzed

CASEY Hospital has seen a reduction in the number of patients awaiting for elective surgery, according to newly released State Government figures.
The Your Hospital report revealed that at Casey Hospital, 100 per cent of urgent elective surgery patients were now treated within 30 days.
The data also shows that 452 non-urgent patients were on the waiting list as of 30 June this year – 448 fewer than for the same time six months earlier.
Forty fewer semi-urgent patients were awaiting elective surgery at the Berwick hospital as of 30 June with 478 on the waiting list.
The report showed that there were 11,762 admissions to the hospital in the six months to the end of 30 June – 5644 patients or 92 per cent more than for the same period in 2005.
In addition, 2748 patients on the waiting list received their operations in the six months to the end of June – up by 938 for the same period in 2005.
Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said the reduction in waiting times was largely a result of the Government’s highly successful elective surgery waiting list blitz which has seen thousands of long-waiting surgery patients taken off the lists.
“These figure vindicate the Government’s decision to invest $40 million so far in the waiting list blitz.
“It shows this initiative is making a real difference to Victorians waiting for surgery,” Ms Pike said.
“We recognise that ensuring people get surgical treatment as quickly as possible is one of the best ways to make Victoria a great place to live, work and raise a family.”
“But we know we still need to do a lot more to further improve the system and meet the huge challenges Victoria faces to keep pace with a growing and ageing population.”