Many surgical procedures are not covered by the wait-time guarantee.
Breast reconstruction for mastectomy patients and gastric bypass are among the procedures not covered by the LNP government’s surgery wait time guarantee, with Queensland Health reporting there are not enough surgeons with the skills needed to perform them.
The wait time guarantee, which came into effect at the beginning of the month, was one of the last policies announced by the Newman Government, guaranteeing patients already on the wait list will have their elective surgery within specified timeframes.
It does not apply for those patients still waiting to see a specialist and does not include specialised surgery, such as post-mastectomy breast reconstruction.
“Our hospitals will do their best to ensure patients receive surgery when they need it,” a spokeswoman for Queensland Health said.
“However, if a patient requires an operation that only a few surgeons in Queensland have specialised in then Queensland Health cannot send the patient to another public or private hospital to have it done.
“This means the patient may occasionally need to wait longer than anticipated for their operation. Patients who need any of these operations will still be accepted onto a Queensland Health elective surgery wait list.
“However, they will be advised in writing that Queensland Health cannot guarantee they will receive their surgery within a specified time.”
Other procedures not covered by the guarantee, due to a lack of specialised surgeons include bone lengthening, complex upper and lower limb surgery, complex spinal urology procedures, penile prostheses, deep brain stimulation and weight loss surgery, such as gastric sleeving, bypass or banding.
Surgery not covered under the Medicare Benefits Schedule, or procedures determined by the government to not receive public funding, such as cosmetic, assisted reproduction (IVF) and vasectomies are also not covered, which is the same situation for surgery which relies on organ or tissue donation.
“Patients requiring any of the procedures listed as ‘medically recommended exceptions’ will still be accepted on to a Queensland Health elective surgery wait list,” the spokeswoman said.
“However, they will be advised in writing by their hospital that Queensland Health cannot guarantee they will receive their surgery within a specified timeframe.”
It also only applied to elective surgery, which means diagnostic, medical or obstetric procedures under the outpatient wait list are also not covered by the guarantee.
But what is or is not covered may be a moot point, depending on the outcome of the state election. Labor, which at this stage looks best placed to form government, has not committed to continuing the policy, only saying during the election campaign that it would look at it.
A spokesman for Labor said that position had not changed.