With the Federal Minister for Health, Peter Dutton, at the LGH for today’s announcement
Today I was very pleased to join with Federal Minister for Health, Peter Dutton, to announce that $23.4 million would be provided to improve access to elective surgery for Tasmanian patients who have been waiting longer than clinically recommended for their surgery.
It means at least 2,000 extra Tasmanians are expected to receive treatment over the next two years.
This funding builds on $30.5 million in Australian Government payments to perform additional elective surgery operations helping overdue Tasmanian patients, bringing the total number of patients expected to receive treatment under the Agreement to more than 4,600.
“This funding for frontline services will deliver real benefits to patients, with more than 4,600 Tasmanians now set to benefit,” Minister Dutton said.
“This latest funding gives top priority to patients who are the most overdue for their surgery, providing immediate positive outcomes for them, their families and carers.”
In addition to delivering more operations, the extra funding will support a significant program of reform based on the recommendations of the Commission on Delivery of Health Services in Tasmania.
Tasmania has identified that these funds will be invested in sustainable and statewide improvements in the management of surgery, including a commitment to treat all patients in turn, subject to clinical need.
“We are helping patients who have been waiting the longest by providing funding at the frontline, while making changes to the way we manage patients to ensure the system is fair and transparent,” Minister Ferguson said.
“By working with our clinicians, our focus is on providing procedures for some of our patients who have waited the longest for their surgery.”
The initiative comes on top of an additional $76 million of State Government funding for elective surgery.
