❓ Mr. Healy asks about progress reducing elective surgery waitlists. Ms. Hammat highlights reduced waitlists, record surgery numbers, and shorter waiting times compared to other states, attributing success to staff and innovative practices.
AnsweredQoN 595Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Health—Elective surgeries595.Mr Terry Healyto
theMinister for Health:I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring that Western Australians have access
to the health care they need. Can the minister update the house on progress
being made to reduce the elective surgery waitlist for patients in our health
system?
theMinister for Health:I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to ensuring that Western Australians have access
to the health care they need. Can the minister update the house on progress
being made to reduce the elective surgery waitlist for patients in our health
system?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 November 2025
Response time
0 days
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:I thank the member
for the question. I acknowledge his advocacy for health care for Western
Australians. It has been a big week in health, but at the same time, the
government has maintained its steady focus on driving down elective surgery
waitlists. Members, we are delivering!Members will be
aware that during the pandemic there was a requirement to pause elective
surgeries in our hospitals. During that time, in May 2022, elective surgeries
peaked at over 30,000. Since that time, despite the record population growth
and the demands of an ageing population—and many people who have more
serioushealth needs—the waitlist has
dropped by more than 12%. I am pleased to advise that during October our healthsystem set a new record for the highest number of elective surgeries
delivered in a week. A massive 4,166 procedures were completed in that week.It is not the first
or the only time that we have outperformed this year. In fact, we have broken
the weekly record nine times in the last 12 months. In fact, members will not
be surprised to hear that we lead the nation for the shortest average waiting
times in a number of procedure categories. This shows the results of the
efforts that we are making across the health system. These efforts are working.
Through innovations like weekend and twilight procedures, we will continue to
deliver high rates of elective surgeries so patients can access the treatment
they need.I want to
acknowledge, of course, that none of this would happen without the incredible
dedicated staff who work in our hospitals and our health system. I acknowledge
and thank them for their commitment to delivering for patients. With growing
demand on our health system, we know there will always be more challenges that
we need to address, but our government is getting on with the job of making
sure that Western Australians access the health care that we need when we need
it.
Health—Elective surgeries
for the question. I acknowledge his advocacy for health care for Western
Australians. It has been a big week in health, but at the same time, the
government has maintained its steady focus on driving down elective surgery
waitlists. Members, we are delivering!Members will be
aware that during the pandemic there was a requirement to pause elective
surgeries in our hospitals. During that time, in May 2022, elective surgeries
peaked at over 30,000. Since that time, despite the record population growth
and the demands of an ageing population—and many people who have more
serioushealth needs—the waitlist has
dropped by more than 12%. I am pleased to advise that during October our healthsystem set a new record for the highest number of elective surgeries
delivered in a week. A massive 4,166 procedures were completed in that week.It is not the first
or the only time that we have outperformed this year. In fact, we have broken
the weekly record nine times in the last 12 months. In fact, members will not
be surprised to hear that we lead the nation for the shortest average waiting
times in a number of procedure categories. This shows the results of the
efforts that we are making across the health system. These efforts are working.
Through innovations like weekend and twilight procedures, we will continue to
deliver high rates of elective surgeries so patients can access the treatment
they need.I want to
acknowledge, of course, that none of this would happen without the incredible
dedicated staff who work in our hospitals and our health system. I acknowledge
and thank them for their commitment to delivering for patients. With growing
demand on our health system, we know there will always be more challenges that
we need to address, but our government is getting on with the job of making
sure that Western Australians access the health care that we need when we need
it.
Health—Elective surgeries
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