26 November 2004

Elective surgery services over the holiday period

Elective surgery arrangements for the upcoming school holiday period will see some elective surgery continue for semi urgent and urgent cases in a large number of major metropolitan hospitals.

Liverpool, Royal North Shore, Westmead, RPA, Wollongong, Prince of Wales, St Vincent’s and St George will continue to provide priority elective surgery services during this time.

All NSW public hospitals Emergency Departments are open 24 hours / seven days a week.

At some hospitals, Prince of Wales, Sydney, Gosford, Concord, Tamworth, John Hunter, Coffs Harbour, Ballina, Byron Bay, Tweed Heads and Moruya, extra staff will be available to deal with an influx of holiday-makers or to handle peak events such as Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, the Tamworth Country Music Festival and Australia Day.

Additionally, the Ambulance Service has developed an operational plan for New Year’s Eve.

Booked, non-urgent elective surgery is not affected by the holiday period. The amount of elective surgery planned for each year, takes into account a reduction in elective surgery during the peak holiday periods. This year is no different.

This occurs because most patients choose not to have elective surgery over the Christmas and New Year period, and allows as many staff as possible to take a well earned break at the end of year to spend the holiday season and some of the summer school holidays with their children and families.

NSW Health has allocated an additional $35 million for the 2004/05 financial year to boost elective surgery in NSW on top of a record $700 million already in the system to cover non-emergency procedures. Additional work is planned for periods where workforce resources are most available.

All public hospitals remain open over the holiday period. Emergency patients suffering from acute illness or severe injuries will always receive first priority for emergency surgery.

Examples of hospitals where operating theatres will remain open:

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au