Reducing waiting times
With roll‑out commencing January 2011, people presenting to a public hospital emergency department will be admitted, referred for treatment or discharged within four hours of presentation where it is clinically appropriate to do so.
Following roll‑out commencing January 2011, from January 2015 95 per cent of all patients waiting for elective surgery will be treated within clinically recommended times.
From July 2012, any person waiting longer than clinically recommended for elective surgery will have their surgery fast tracked.
Emergency departments
The Government is providing up to $750 million over five years to the States to support the staged introduction of a four‑hour National Access Target to reduce emergency department waiting times.
- This includes $250 million over four years for emergency department capital investment to deliver necessary capacity and patient management improvements.
- The implementation of the four‑hour National Access Target will be undertaken in consultation with clinicians and will apply to patients where it is clinically appropriate.
Elective surgery
The Government will also provide $800 million over five years to the States to implement a National Access Target for elective surgery so that, from January 2015, 95 per cent of all patients waiting for surgery will be treated within clinically recommended times. An elective surgery access guarantee will also apply from July 2012. Under the guarantee, any person waiting longer than clinically recommended will have their surgery fast tracked.
- This includes $150 million in capital funding over three years to boost elective surgery capacity.
Hospital patients not seen within clinically recommended times
