The latest report on Tasmania’s health system has revealed an increase in elective surgery waiting times of nearly 42 per cent at Royal Hobart Hospital.
The quarterly report also revealed more than 8,600 people were waiting for elective surgery at the state’s four hospitals in December last year.
There was a 41.9 per cent increase in elective surgery waiting times at the Royal Hobart Hospital, 13.8 per cent at the Mersey, 5.8 per cent at the North-West Regional and 2.8 per cent at the Launceston General Hospital (LGH) in the 12 months to December 2014.
The increase occurred despite the Liberal Government’s key election promise to invest an extra $16 million in elective surgery this financial year.
Health Minister Michael Ferguson conceded waiting times were too long.
“We know that waiting lists are still too long and that’s why we committed $76 million in funding for extra surgeries,” he said.
But Mr Ferguson said the increase was because the Government was trying to clear a backlog of long-waiting patients.
“It’s important to note that while this report shows waiting times are up, it’s because this Government is fixing Labor’s mess and targeting the long-wait patients – patients which have been waiting years for their surgeries,” he said.
The average waiting time at the LGH blew out by 19 days but the Department of Health and Human Services said it reflected an increasing focus on treating very long-waiting patients.
Labour’s health spokeswoman Rebecca White said the figures showed the Government was not keeping its promise.
“The Liberals promised to fix the elective surgery waiting list but now we are seeing proof that it’s getting dramatically worse,” she said.
“A 41.9 per cent increase in the number of people waiting for surgery at the Royal Hobart Hospital is an alarming statistic.”