Elective surgery wait list drops

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THE elective surgery waiting list has reached a record low at less than 6000 people for the first time since data has been kept.

Premier Will Hodgman spruiked the achievement on Thursday while discussing progress on converting the Mersey Community Hospital into a dedicated elective surgery centre.

Government plans had the hospital due to become a 23-hour elective surgery centre on Friday but Mr Hodgman could not set a date on its full implementation when asked this week.

“We are transitioning to establishing the Mersey as a dedicated elective surgery hub and that will relieve pressure on other hospitals in the process,” Mr Hodgman said.

Health Minister Michael Ferguson said 18,000 of the 18,500 surgeries performed in the last two years were done in Tasmania. The figure included almost 6900 people from the Launceston General Hospital.

“The number of people waiting longer than clinically recommended has fallen at an even greater rate, from more than 3600 in June 2014, to fewer than 1500 today. That is a reduction of more than 60 per cent,” Mr Ferguson said.

“This is a tremendous result and is a great credit to the many health professionals involved in the care and treatment of Tasmanians needing surgery.”

The target was reached with $76 million investment from the state and $26 million from the federal government.

Surgeons worked weekends and some long-wait patients were sent interstate in a bid to reach targets.