Source : Perth Now news
An additional 14 types of surgery are being added to the NSW government’s list of ‘same day surgery’ procedures which allow people to recover at home rather than in hospital, freeing up hospital beds across the state.
NSW Health said it would implement “new targets for a further 14 procedures to incentivise hospitals to deliver more same day surgery”.
Patients arrive, have their procedure and complete their discharge on the same day, where clinically appropriate, avoiding unnecessary hospitalisation.
There were originally eight different surgeries on the list.
The increase in the type of surgeries where patients can be treated and discharged in the same day will allow save 3000 bed days within the NSW public health system, creating capacity for 600 more patients.
The newest batch of eligible surgeries include removal of bunions, elective removal of the appendix and/or haemorrhoids, rotator cuff repair and knee ligament repair.
A number of procedures specifically undertaken by women have been added to the list as well, including removal of fallopian tubes and ovaries, as well as repair of vaginal walls.
The move is part of a plan first introduced by the NSW government in 2024 which aims to reduce unnecessary hospitalisations and free up beds for those who need them most.
Health Minister Ryan Park said same day surgeries were “a win for everyone” which meant the government was “able to provide care to more people and do it sooner”.
“No one wants to be in hospital longer than they clinically have to be, so by safely discharging people to recover at home with the support they need, we’re creating capacity for someone else who needs that bed, whether that’s admitting someone more quickly from ED or calling someone up from the surgical waitlist,” Mr Park said.
“Same day surgeries are possible because of the leaps and bounds made over the years in surgical techniques, but also by the extensive design of the model by our clinical experts, which is guided by the latest scientific evidence.
“This is just another way our government is optimising healthcare and doing it safely so people in NSW can access the care they need faster and more comfortably.”
The previous eight surgeries which made up the ‘same day surgery’ program included hernia procedures, tonsillectomies & adenoidectomies, gallbladder removals, nasal procedures, sinus and complex middle ear procedures, mastectomies, thyroid interventions and hysterectomies.
