The recent state budget includes $1.8 Billion to extend and expand the Surgery Connect program that has already reduced the waiting list for elective surgery by over 2,500 patients in just one month.

With 30,000 more surgeries expected to be delivered this financial year, Member for Burdekin, Dale Last MP, said the program provided obvious benefits to patients on the waiting list.

“Over the last decade we have seen the number of Queenslanders waiting for elective surgery more than double,” Mr Last said.  “Action taken by the new state government has made a difference already, but we committed to improving healthcare and Surgery Connect is an important part of honouring that commitment.”

“Due to the scale of what is required, fully implementing our Hospital Rescue Plan will take time.  Boosting staff numbers, expanding hospitals and delivering new hospital beds is not something that happens overnight.”

“In the meantime, Surgery Connect will provide the procedures that patients need in order to improve their quality of life.  There is absolutely no change when it comes to emergency or lifesaving surgeries with this program solely aimed at elective surgeries and procedures.”

Mr Last said that clear goals had been set when it came to providing easier access to health services when Queenslanders needed them the most.

“Although we have made significant inroads into reducing the elective surgery waiting lists there is still a long way to go,” he said.  “While these procedures are more about quality of life, delivering those is an important part of a world-class health service.”

“Quite often these surgeries are about addressing pain and discomfort, but research has proven that long delays waiting for these procedures means symptoms worsen, pain increases and there is a proven impact on the patient’s mental health.  So, we are talking about procedures that can have a huge positive impact on patients and their families.”

“By Christmas the goal is to stabilise the waiting lists because we simply cannot sit back and watch them continue to grow.  Once that is achieved, we should start to see reductions in the pressure on our health services and reductions in the length of time people wait for elective procedures.”

“The results to date are extremely encouraging with 12,000 extra surgery referrals delivered between February and June 30 this year.  That’s 12,000 Queenslanders who were left in limbo, sometimes for years, because of a failure to address capacity and other issues in our public hospitals.”

“Effectively we are tapping into capacity in private hospitals to deliver procedures like hip and knee replacements and cataract surgery.  Besides the obvious benefits for patients, Surgery Connect reduces the pressure on our health staff who, through no fault of their own, have been forced to delay surgeries.”

“The Crisafulli government is stepping up to deliver better outcomes for both staff and patients.”