❓ Opposition questions the government's method of managing orthopaedic surgery waitlists, alleging pressure on patients to self-diagnose and artificial reduction of waiting lists. Minister defends the process as a way to maintain accurate lists.
AnsweredQoN 364Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY WAITLIST
The opposition has obtained a letter sent by the Department of Health directly to orthopaedic outpatients at Royal Perth Hospital’s Shenton Park campus who are waiting for back, knee and hip surgery. In this letter, these patients are told to tick a box if they believe they still need surgery. If they do not reply by the 23 August deadline, the letter states that they will be discharged from the system and no further orthopaedic appointments will be made. In light of this letter, I ask - (1) Why is the minister’s government trying to override the advice of medical professionals by directly pressuring patients to self-diagnose their requirements for surgery? (2) Given that the minister is both health minister and the head of the board of hospitals, why has he endorsed a plan that is a blatant attempt to artificially cut back the surgery backlog and paint a rosy picture of falling waiting lists when the truth is far more sinister? Mr J.A. McGINTY
The opposition has obtained a letter sent by the Department of Health directly to orthopaedic outpatients at Royal Perth Hospital’s Shenton Park campus who are waiting for back, knee and hip surgery. In this letter, these patients are told to tick a box if they believe they still need surgery. If they do not reply by the 23 August deadline, the letter states that they will be discharged from the system and no further orthopaedic appointments will be made. In light of this letter, I ask - (1) Why is the minister’s government trying to override the advice of medical professionals by directly pressuring patients to self-diagnose their requirements for surgery? (2) Given that the minister is both health minister and the head of the board of hospitals, why has he endorsed a plan that is a blatant attempt to artificially cut back the surgery backlog and paint a rosy picture of falling waiting lists when the truth is far more sinister? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I was waiting for the shadow Minister for Health to ask me a question, seeing as everyone else on the opposition side was interested in getting into health matters, except the shadow Minister for Health. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me about the elective surgery waiting lists is the significant number of people who, when offered surgery, come back to us and say they do not want it any more. It is quite surprising that that is the case. One of the things that we have found because we are getting through the waiting lists so much quicker now is that people are being presented with the offer of their surgery - Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
(1) Why is the minister’s government trying to override the advice of medical professionals by directly pressuring patients to self-diagnose their requirements for surgery? (2) Given that the minister is both health minister and the head of the board of hospitals, why has he endorsed a plan that is a blatant attempt to artificially cut back the surgery backlog and paint a rosy picture of falling waiting lists when the truth is far more sinister? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I was waiting for the shadow Minister for Health to ask me a question, seeing as everyone else on the opposition side was interested in getting into health matters, except the shadow Minister for Health. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me about the elective surgery waiting lists is the significant number of people who, when offered surgery, come back to us and say they do not want it any more. It is quite surprising that that is the case. One of the things that we have found because we are getting through the waiting lists so much quicker now is that people are being presented with the offer of their surgery - Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
(2) Given that the minister is both health minister and the head of the board of hospitals, why has he endorsed a plan that is a blatant attempt to artificially cut back the surgery backlog and paint a rosy picture of falling waiting lists when the truth is far more sinister? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I was waiting for the shadow Minister for Health to ask me a question, seeing as everyone else on the opposition side was interested in getting into health matters, except the shadow Minister for Health. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me about the elective surgery waiting lists is the significant number of people who, when offered surgery, come back to us and say they do not want it any more. It is quite surprising that that is the case. One of the things that we have found because we are getting through the waiting lists so much quicker now is that people are being presented with the offer of their surgery - Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I was waiting for the shadow Minister for Health to ask me a question, seeing as everyone else on the opposition side was interested in getting into health matters, except the shadow Minister for Health. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me about the elective surgery waiting lists is the significant number of people who, when offered surgery, come back to us and say they do not want it any more. It is quite surprising that that is the case. One of the things that we have found because we are getting through the waiting lists so much quicker now is that people are being presented with the offer of their surgery - Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
(1)-(2) I was waiting for the shadow Minister for Health to ask me a question, seeing as everyone else on the opposition side was interested in getting into health matters, except the shadow Minister for Health. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me about the elective surgery waiting lists is the significant number of people who, when offered surgery, come back to us and say they do not want it any more. It is quite surprising that that is the case. One of the things that we have found because we are getting through the waiting lists so much quicker now is that people are being presented with the offer of their surgery - Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
(1) Why is the minister’s government trying to override the advice of medical professionals by directly pressuring patients to self-diagnose their requirements for surgery? (2) Given that the minister is both health minister and the head of the board of hospitals, why has he endorsed a plan that is a blatant attempt to artificially cut back the surgery backlog and paint a rosy picture of falling waiting lists when the truth is far more sinister? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I was waiting for the shadow Minister for Health to ask me a question, seeing as everyone else on the opposition side was interested in getting into health matters, except the shadow Minister for Health. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me about the elective surgery waiting lists is the significant number of people who, when offered surgery, come back to us and say they do not want it any more. It is quite surprising that that is the case. One of the things that we have found because we are getting through the waiting lists so much quicker now is that people are being presented with the offer of their surgery - Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
(2) Given that the minister is both health minister and the head of the board of hospitals, why has he endorsed a plan that is a blatant attempt to artificially cut back the surgery backlog and paint a rosy picture of falling waiting lists when the truth is far more sinister? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I was waiting for the shadow Minister for Health to ask me a question, seeing as everyone else on the opposition side was interested in getting into health matters, except the shadow Minister for Health. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me about the elective surgery waiting lists is the significant number of people who, when offered surgery, come back to us and say they do not want it any more. It is quite surprising that that is the case. One of the things that we have found because we are getting through the waiting lists so much quicker now is that people are being presented with the offer of their surgery - Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I was waiting for the shadow Minister for Health to ask me a question, seeing as everyone else on the opposition side was interested in getting into health matters, except the shadow Minister for Health. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me about the elective surgery waiting lists is the significant number of people who, when offered surgery, come back to us and say they do not want it any more. It is quite surprising that that is the case. One of the things that we have found because we are getting through the waiting lists so much quicker now is that people are being presented with the offer of their surgery - Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
(1)-(2) I was waiting for the shadow Minister for Health to ask me a question, seeing as everyone else on the opposition side was interested in getting into health matters, except the shadow Minister for Health. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me about the elective surgery waiting lists is the significant number of people who, when offered surgery, come back to us and say they do not want it any more. It is quite surprising that that is the case. One of the things that we have found because we are getting through the waiting lists so much quicker now is that people are being presented with the offer of their surgery - Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I was surprised when I was given the figures for the very high proportion of people who, when confronted with the reality of a date to actually have their surgery, said they no longer require it. People who had been waiting for someone to ring them to say their surgery would be on a certain date have said, when confronted with the reality, that they do not wish to have their surgery any more. That is a very high proportion of people, particularly in the low acuity cases. Is the member now complaining that we are doing our best to keep lists up to date by writing to people and asking whether they still wish to have surgery? Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Dr K.D. Hames : Not at all. It is the next bit that says they’ll come off the list if they do not answer. Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : It is not such an onerous thing to ask somebody who is on the elective surgery waiting list whether they still wish to have surgery. I would not have thought that that was an unreasonable question. Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Dr K.D. Hames : It says, “If we do not receive confirmation, you will be removed.” Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member read it out before. I wish to make the following point. I am keen to ensure that people who genuinely need surgery - not people who go on the list and when made the offer of surgery say they no longer want it - get it at the earliest date. If our lists are more accurate, we can do that and advise people of roughly how long they could expect to wait. If people say they do not want surgery any more, they can be taken off the list. That is fine. All I am saying is that the member would be quite surprised at the number of people who, when facing the surgeon and the scalpel, say they do not want surgery any more. We are trying to keep the lists accurate.
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