More than 500 elective surgeries cancelled by WACHS hospitals each month since March

More than 500 elective surgeries per month were cancelled by WA Country Health Service hospitals between March and July, according to figures provided in Parliament. At least 460 elective surgeries were cancelled by the hospital in each of the months, with May the worst with 558. A WACHS spokesperson told the Herald figures for cancelled surgeries at individual hospitals were not available. Most surgeries were rescheduled within days, according to Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson. In the same time frame, an average of 200 elective surgeries were cancelled by patients. The figures were revealed in the legislative Assembly last week when WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam asked Ms Sanderson for the rescheduling numbers. Ms Sanderson told Parliament cancellations often occurred to prioritise patient safety. “Elective surgeries are cancelled for a range of both patient and hospital-initiated reasons,” she said. “Patient safety is the priority and surgeries are often rescheduled within a matter of days.” A spokesperson for WACHS said most elective surgeries were undertaken in the target time frame. “Elective surgeries can be rescheduled for a range of reasons, including priority being given to emergency cases, patient illness, (the) patient being unprepared for the surgery due to not being fasted, (the) patient refusing the surgery, or even the surgery no longer being required,” they said. “More than 1500 surgeries took place in country hospitals in June 2024, with more than 95 per cent of planned surgeries within their target time frame boundaries. “We are committed to delivering surgeries in a timely manner and reschedule planned surgeries as quickly as possible in consultation with our patients.” Ageing and too-small infrastructure at several South West hospitals have prompted calls for renewal amid concerns the facilities are affecting staff and patients. The Bunbury Regional Hospital is undergoing a $451 million redevelopment which will include an expanded emergency department, maternity services and operating theatre capacity — but no end date has been announced. Calls for the Margaret River Hospital to be expanded have also caught the eye of political hopefuls, with the WA Liberals announcing last week they would commit $60m to the project, while the Nationals WA have also indicated support for the expansion.