Rockhampton patients to benefit from elective surgery funding boost

Rockhampton patients will benefit from a new $50 million cash injection to the State Government’s successful Surgery Connect program announced by Treasurer Andrew Fraser.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the funding boost meant even more Rockhampton elective surgery patients would be treated over the next two years.

“Elective surgery demand in Rockhampton continues to increase, fuelled by strong population growth and an ageing population,” he said.

“We’re tackling this demand head-on via our Surgery Connect program, which is already making inroads into local elective surgery waiting lists.

“While Queensland already has the shortest elective surgery waiting lists in the country, we want to cut these waiting times even further.

“These extra funds will ensure even more Rockhampton patients get their elective surgery sooner.”

Surgery Connect targets category two and three ‘long wait’ patients by enabling hospitals to do extra surgery lists or by providing operations in the private sector at no cost to the private patient.

More than 6000 Queenslanders have been treated since the introduction of Surgery Connect in November 2007.

Over 1880 Rockhampton patients have had their elective surgery through the successful Surgery Connect program.

Mr Robertson said Surgery Connect would receive an extra $30 million this financial year and a further $20 million in 2009-10, on top of the program’s existing funding.

“The new funding will deliver around 1200 extra elective surgery procedures to regional Queenslanders in 2008-09,” he said.

“This isn’t about a ‘public versus private’ debate, it’s about getting more patients their elective surgery sooner - and this includes even more category two and three ‘long wait’ patients in Rockhampton.

“It’s all part of our broader commitment to ensure Queenslanders have the shortest public hospital waiting times in Australia by 2020.”

MEDIA: Martin Philip 3225 2680