Professional Issues
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park to prioritise elective surgery wait times
NSW Labor made health reform a key issue in the 2023 NSW state election, including a promise to address expanding elective surgery wait times.
NSW Health Minister, Ryan Park has recently stated his office has a plan to reduce delays and that it’s his “number one priority.” Park is confident that changes will come quicker than initially expected.
The pandemic has placed immense straight on the healthcare system, causing elective surgery wait times blow-out in New South Wales. As a result, many patients have been left waiting for essential surgeries outside clinically recommended times, creating a backlog of approximately 17,000 cases.
In an interview with Today, Park expressed his determination to bring the number of patients waiting outside the clinically recommended times down as quickly as possible. He stated that these surgeries are not simply cosmetic procedures but essential operations that people need to undergo.
Park stated he has a surgical task force in place and is working to ensure hospitals are being adequately staffed and resourced.
Phil says
what about when they leave hospital and require care at home woth community nursing or Hospital in the home?
how will these services be better supported to provide the care required ?
Christine says
I would love to see a model of care developed (if it isn’t already)which might be a bit more sophisticated than we have now.
Experienced RN’S have their own small case load caring for say 2 or 3 (or more depending on load) post ops in their own home, driving distance to one another. So they could be quite complex post op cases but we sort of do everything for them as if they were in patients. We could be supported by AINS to do some of the other regular nursing care and they might go from patient to patient too in their car and the RN and AIN liaise and work together as a team. Would need a roster and 3 shifts and teleconferencing to discuss with the doctor as problems emerge.
Reckon it might be cheaper than a hospital?
Patient and their accommodation could be screened preoperatively for suitability for the programme.
Maybe its already happening but in acute care I don’t know about it.