Data from the Bureau of Health Information has revealed that patients on the elective surgery waiting list in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District are more likely to wait longer than 12 months than those in Western Sydney, South Eastern Sydney, South Western Sydney and the Central Coast.
For the April to June 2019 quarter there were 111 patients left waiting more than a year for their surgery in comparison to 14 in Western Sydney, 10 in South Eastern Sydney and 21 in the Central Coast.
Shadow Minister for Health Ryan Park said: “These figures show we have a hospital at breaking point. It is quite clear now that more Illawarra residents are waiting over 12 months for surgery than virtually anywhere else in NSW.”
“This situation is completely unacceptable to me and I will this week be seeking an urgent briefing from the Minister and NSW Health to discuss how they intending improving this issue.” Mr Park said.
“The Government cannot try and gloss over this situation that has been highlighted by the independent Bureau of Health Information, we have a situation where the largest hospital serving the south of the state is in desperate need of additional staffing and infrastructure to cope with the growing number of patients.” Mr Park said.
“I refuse to allow situation to develop where local residents are forced to head up to Sydney for elective surgery. That’s not good enough and it is simply not acceptable.” Mr Park said.
Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully MP, said that the independent statistics point to another pressure point in the Illawarra’s health and hospital system.
“At the end of June there were more than 100 people waiting for urgent elective surgery in the Illawarra and more than 100 patients who have been waiting for more than 12 months for their surgery.
“Again this points to the need to expand bed numbers and I urge the Berejiklian Government to reconsider its refusal to find $1 million to renovate the “ghost ward” which would open up another 35 beds at Wollongong Hospital”, Mr Scully said.
