Mr L'Estrange questions the delay in releasing the 'Referrals to public outpatient surgical clinics' report. The Minister responds that the report is being replaced by a more comprehensive one, and provides updated waitlist data.

AnsweredQoN 4975Legislative Assembly
Asked
2 April 2019
Portfolio
Deputy Premier; Minister for Health; Mental Health

QuestionView source ↗

(1) When will the next ‘Referrals to public outpatient surgical clinics’ report be released? (2) Why hasn’t a ‘Referrals to public outpatient surgical clinics’ report been released since December 2017? (3) Will the Minister release the December 2018 ‘Referrals to public outpatient surgical clinics’ report: (a) If yes to (3), when; and (b) If no to (3), why not? (4) Can the Minister please provide an update on the number of referrals on the wait list to be seen at surgical outpatient clinics for a first appointment, as at 1 April 2019? (5) Can the Minister please provide an update on the median waiting time for referrals waiting to be seen for a first appointment, as at 1 April 2019?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
7 May 2019
Response time
6 days
I am advised:
(1) The existing report will be replaced by a more comprehensive report that doesn’t focus on tertiary hospitals and surgical clinics alone, however a date for this is unknown as it will follow completion of a comprehensive, multi-faceted range of Outpatient Reform Projects.
(2) As per advice on the Department of Health’s publicly available website, the existing report has been placed on hold while work is undertaken to improve the quality, consistency and accuracy of outpatient data, including how it is categorised, collected and reported.
(3) There is no December 2018 ‘Referrals to public outpatient surgical clinics’ report to release.
(a) Not applicable.
(b) See answer (1) and (2).
(4) The number of referrals on the wait list to be seen at surgical outpatient clinics (across all hospitals) for a first appointment, as at 28 February 2019: 110,162.
(5) The median waiting time for referrals waiting to be seen for a first appointment (across all hospitals), as at 31 March 2019: 234 days.

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