❓ Dr. Jacobs questions the Minister for Health about WA's elective surgery waiting times based on an AIHW report. The Minister responds, highlighting WA's performance relative to other states, particularly Queensland, and acknowledges challenges during hospital transitions.
AnsweredQoN 894Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND WELFARE —
''ELECTIVE SURGERY WAITING TIMES 2014–15''
894. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for
Health:
Before I ask my question of the
Minister for Health, I acknowledge the fantastic student leaders from Edney Primary
School in the member for Forrestfield's electorate.
I refer to the Australian Institute
of Health and Welfare publication entitled ''Elective surgery waiting
times 2014–15'' released earlier this month. What does the
publication show about Western Australia's performance in relation to
waiting times?
''ELECTIVE SURGERY WAITING TIMES 2014–15''
894. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for
Health:
Before I ask my question of the
Minister for Health, I acknowledge the fantastic student leaders from Edney Primary
School in the member for Forrestfield's electorate.
I refer to the Australian Institute
of Health and Welfare publication entitled ''Elective surgery waiting
times 2014–15'' released earlier this month. What does the
publication show about Western Australia's performance in relation to
waiting times?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
and I would first like to acknowledge students from St Damien's Catholic
Primary School who are sitting up in the back of the gallery there. Welcome
guys.
As I have said in this Parliament
before, we expected our waiting times and our waiting list to deteriorate
during the transfer from all of our hospitals to our new hospitals,
particularly to Fiona Stanley Hospital. Moving patients from Fremantle Hospital
and Royal Perth Hospital put a huge amount of stress on our theatres and staff,
and for a significant period of time we had to cut down our waiting list. I am
very pleased to say that the latest assessment of comparisons between Western
Australia and other states still has us at second best, and only marginally
second, behind Queensland in just about every recordable measure. I will go
through the three measures. The median wait time for surgery in WA is 29 days,
which is the second best behind Queensland, which has 27 days. Wait times for
the other states and territories varied up to 55 days. For the ninetieth
percentile waiting time, Western Australia ranked narrowly second behind
Queensland. Queensland's ninetieth percentile was 147 days and ours was
148, so Queensland just pipped us. In other states it is up to 424 days. The
national average ninetieth percentile was 253 days. At 148 days, Western
Australia is 105 days fewer than the national average wait time. The proportion
of patients waiting more than a year in Western Australia was 0.7 per cent—again,
second only to Queensland. The national figure was 1.8 per cent, but it is up
to 12.9 per cent in some states.
A particularly
important area is Indigenous treatment. Western Australia's median
waiting time for Indigenous patients was 35 days, which is seven days fewer
than the national figure. Our ninetieth percentile wait time of 174 days is 110
days fewer than the national average. Our staff have been performing
incredibly, keeping up with their waitlist surgery, but still the numbers blew
out to more than we would like. The total numbers are not important; it is the
time that people wait that is important, and our staff are working very well to
process patients coming onto that list faster than any other state, except
Queensland, and then only by a whisker, so we have them in our sights.
and I would first like to acknowledge students from St Damien's Catholic
Primary School who are sitting up in the back of the gallery there. Welcome
guys.
As I have said in this Parliament
before, we expected our waiting times and our waiting list to deteriorate
during the transfer from all of our hospitals to our new hospitals,
particularly to Fiona Stanley Hospital. Moving patients from Fremantle Hospital
and Royal Perth Hospital put a huge amount of stress on our theatres and staff,
and for a significant period of time we had to cut down our waiting list. I am
very pleased to say that the latest assessment of comparisons between Western
Australia and other states still has us at second best, and only marginally
second, behind Queensland in just about every recordable measure. I will go
through the three measures. The median wait time for surgery in WA is 29 days,
which is the second best behind Queensland, which has 27 days. Wait times for
the other states and territories varied up to 55 days. For the ninetieth
percentile waiting time, Western Australia ranked narrowly second behind
Queensland. Queensland's ninetieth percentile was 147 days and ours was
148, so Queensland just pipped us. In other states it is up to 424 days. The
national average ninetieth percentile was 253 days. At 148 days, Western
Australia is 105 days fewer than the national average wait time. The proportion
of patients waiting more than a year in Western Australia was 0.7 per cent—again,
second only to Queensland. The national figure was 1.8 per cent, but it is up
to 12.9 per cent in some states.
A particularly
important area is Indigenous treatment. Western Australia's median
waiting time for Indigenous patients was 35 days, which is seven days fewer
than the national figure. Our ninetieth percentile wait time of 174 days is 110
days fewer than the national average. Our staff have been performing
incredibly, keeping up with their waitlist surgery, but still the numbers blew
out to more than we would like. The total numbers are not important; it is the
time that people wait that is important, and our staff are working very well to
process patients coming onto that list faster than any other state, except
Queensland, and then only by a whisker, so we have them in our sights.
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