New medical report paints dire picture of Australian hospitals

Victorian hospitals told to make million-dollar cuts

Planned surgery wait times in public hospitals are the longest they’ve ever been, an Australian Medical Association (AMA) report has found.

Patients are, on average, waiting twice as long for planned surgeries than they were 20 years ago, according to the report.

It also says category two surgeries – which include heart valve replacements and operations on congenital cardiac defects and fractures that won’t heal on time being performed late more than ever before.

Planned surgery wait times in public hospitals are the longest they’ve ever been.

“These surgeries are essential and urgent — they are not elective or cosmetic and every day of waiting can bring serious pain and increased risks to patients,” AMA president Professor Steve Robson said.

“Australians are now waiting almost twice as long on average for planned surgery than they were 20 years ago, which is unacceptable.”

It also found that emergency departments remain “strangled” by an access block, with the rate of emergency department patients who are seen on time now at the lowest level in the last decade.

Only 56 per cent of triage patients completed their emergency room visit in four hours, a 5 per cent drop compared to last year and the lowest figure since 2011.

On the back of the report, the AMA has called for urgent funding to address the problems.

Emergency departments remain

“Last year we welcomed the federal government’s announcement of a significant public funding boost to the hospital funding agreement and the decision to replace the 6.5 per cent funding growth cap with a more generous approach,” Robson said.

“This announcement followed tireless AMA advocacy for funding reform.

“But the new agreement will still need more investment and agreement by all health ministers.

“It also doesn’t come into effect until 2025. Urgent action is needed now.”

The AMA sent a letter out to the nation’s health ministers with the report, urging them to agree to its $4.12 billion plan to address the surgery backlog.