Hospital defends wait for surgery

By Ed Merrison
ANGLISS Hospital has hit back after being cited in an Opposition attack on the State Government’s elective surgery performance.
Shadow Health Minister Helen Shardey used elective surgery figures between June 1999 and June 2005 to launch a stinging attack on the Opposition health record.
After a 31.1 per cent rise in its elective surgery waiting list during that period, the Angliss is listed among other key metropolitan hospitals experiencing what Ms Shardey called “blow outs”.
Angliss Hospital acting general manager Dr Harvey Lander responded to the criticism by saying a hospital’s ability to manage surgical waiting lists, both emergency and elective, was influenced by increased demand upon other services.
“Angliss Hospital has seen a considerable growth in demand across a range of services since 1999, with a rise in the number of emergency attendances and admissions, general admissions and increasing elective surgery throughput,” he said.
Mr Lander also said the increased demand stemming from the hospital’s location in an outer-eastern growth corridor had led to the introduction of initiatives.
They included the appointment of a coordinator for the management of elective surgery lists and the expansion of a number of services, such as the emergency department.
Mr Lander pointed to the hospital’s performance in the final quarter of the six-year period as evidence of its commitment to services.
From January 2004 to June 2005, the Angliss managed over 12,000 admissions, he said.