MORE than 800 elective surgeries were cancelled at the Launceston General Hospital in the nine months leading to March, some of which were dropped because no beds or surgeons were available.
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Opposition health spokeswoman Rebecca White on Monday revealed data that showed 2410 elective surgeries were cancelled statewide in the nine months leading to March 31.
Of those, 844 occurred at the Launceston General Hospital, including 159 which were cancelled because of an over-riding emergency, 98 dropped because no surgeon was available and 12 cancelled due to a shortage of ICU beds.
‘‘The elective surgery waiting list has grown to nearly 4000 at the Launceston General Hospital and there is no doubt that elective surgery cancellations contribute to the problem,’’ Ms White said.
‘‘The Minister for Health came to office in March 2014 telling Tasmanians he was going to fix the health system but unfortunately it seems like things are only getting worse.’’
Health Minister Michael Ferguson dismissed Ms White’s comments and accused the opposition of having no constructive ideas to fix the health system.
‘‘[Ms White] is failing to mention that elective surgery cancellations were higher under Labor in 2013-14 (3240 cancellations) and they peaked under Labor in 2010-11 at 3510,’’ he said.
‘‘The lack of increase in cancellations in 2014-15 is despite a significant increase in the frequency and complexity of emergency surgery, which impacts on theatre, surgeon and staff availability.
‘‘Driving the number of cancellations down further is a key focus of the One Health System reforms, including the dedicated Elective Surgery Centre at the Mersey Hospital, as well as the additional $100million we have provided to the THS to deliver frontline health services.’’
The North-West recorded 516 elective surgery cancellations in the same period while the South topped the list with 1050.