The Queensland Government will tap into capacity in the private health sector to deliver 10,000 extra elective surgeries this financial year.
State Health Minister Tim Nicholls said an extra $100 million would be invested into the Surgery Connect program.
“The Surgery Connect surge will deliver 10,000 additional elective surgeries by the end of June, utilising private sector capacity to deliver planned elective surgery within private hospitals,” Minister Nicholls said.
He said additional surgeries that would be delivered faster under the program would include cataract surgery, tonsils and adenoids, and knee replacements.
Minister Nicholls said in February 2015, 27,950 Queenslanders were on the elective surgery waitlist, with that number rosing to 64,171 in October 2024.
He said the latest quarterly data revealed it was now 66,632 patients.
“We will be working with more than 60 private partners to help deliver the boost to Surgery Connect across ENT, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Urology, Ophthalmology, Gynaecology and Plastics.”
