Elective surgeries at John Hunter Hospital have decreased by 28 percent over the past decade, highlighting a significant gap in healthcare services despite a regional population increase of approximately 14 percent. Health data indicates that the hospital performed 8,994 elective surgeries in 2015, a stark contrast to just 6,508 surgeries anticipated in 2024.
Concerns about rising waiting times for planned surgeries have been raised by Grahame Smith, deputy chair of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons’ NSW State Committee. He stated, “We are concerned with the increasing waiting times for patients for planned surgery.” Efforts have been made to collaborate with the NSW Ministry of Health to address these growing delays.
The issue of long waitlists is affecting various specializations at John Hunter, with current figures indicating significant backlogs: 918 patients awaiting orthopaedic surgeries, 418 for general surgeries, 276 for gynaecology, 232 for ear, nose, and throat procedures, 178 for neurosurgery, and 96 for urology.
Kathryn Austin, president of the Australian Medical Association in NSW, attributed these long waitlists to “a lack of staff, outdated funding models, and poor planning.” The planned expansion of John Hunter aims to increase operating theatres by nearly 50 percent. However, Austin noted that operating theatres are “sitting idle not because of infrastructure issues, but because we don’t have the workforce to run them.”
She explained that major hospitals are becoming overwhelmed with emergency cases, which in turn impacts their ability to perform non-urgent surgeries. According to Austin, the key issue is that the health budget in NSW is insufficient to meet the increasing demands placed on the public health system. “NSW and the Commonwealth need to finalize their health reform agreement to ensure appropriate funding of our public hospital system,” she said. Austin emphasized that wait times for non-urgent procedures “remain unacceptable,” with patients waiting nearly a year for surgeries that significantly affect their quality of life.
Dr. Smith expressed a belief that there are enough surgeons available, stating, “About 80 percent of surgeons in NSW have a public hospital appointment.” He suggested that many of these surgeons could increase their operating hours if adequately funded. Additionally, he noted that approximately 5 percent of surgeons in NSW do not currently hold public hospital appointments but would be interested in contributing to the public system.
Planning is essential for increasing surgery numbers, according to Dr. Smith. He stated, “Surgeons need to be told they’re needed for an extra eight hours a week over the next couple of years.” He criticized the ministry’s previous approach of hastily increasing surgeries for brief periods, particularly before elections, without a long-term strategy.
In response to these concerns, Health Minister Ryan Park stated that the Minns government is committed to ensuring timely access to surgeries for all residents of NSW. He highlighted that over the past year, the government has invested more than $200 million to reduce the number of patients awaiting planned surgeries longer than clinically recommended.
Recent reports from the Newcastle Herald indicated that more than 8,270 elective surgeries were performed in the Hunter New England region from April to June, representing a 19 percent increase compared to the same quarter last year. While acknowledging this progress, Minister Park emphasized, “We still have a lot more work to do.”
Dr. Smith reiterated the challenges associated with lengthy surgery waitlists, emphasizing that “there’s not enough planned operating time in the public system.” He explained that increasing operating hours requires a coordinated effort from the entire surgical team, which includes nurses, anaesthetists, and surgeons. He mentioned the potential for operations to be scheduled in the evenings or on weekends as a way to address the backlog.
The federal Department of Health is currently conducting “supply and demand modelling for the surgery workforce,” with expectations for its completion by the end of 2025. As the healthcare system grapples with these challenges, the focus remains on ensuring that patients receive timely and adequate care.
