HOSPITAL funding agreements show the state government’s handling of the health system is blowing out the elective surgery waiting list, according to Williamstown MP Wade Noonan.
Agreements between the government and hospitals showed an unprecedented 55,000 people across the state would be waiting for surgery by June as a result of the government’s $616 million health system cuts, he said.
“This is going to heavily impact Western Health, where the waiting list has blown out by 22.3 per cent. This means by June this year, 800 additional people will be waiting — often in pain — for surgery.”
Mr Noonan said 125 people had been added to the statewide elective surgery waiting list each week since the Coalition had been in government.
The Weekly reported this month that emergency patient numbers and a rapid lengthening of the surgery waiting list were putting Western Hospital in Footscray under unprecedented pressure.
Footscray’s elective surgery waiting list rose from 1226 to 1293 as Williamstown’s dropped from 557 to 508.
Mr Noonan said this showed the system was in crisis even before the row between state and federal governments about funding.
—Benjamin Millar
