AMA Queensland convened its Surgical Wait List Roundtable to examine growing elective surgery wait lists in regional and rural areas and identify practical, affordable actions the Government can take to address inequities in access.
The Roundtable follows the success of the AMA Queensland Ramping Roundtable in 2021, which made sensible, achievable recommendations on how to address ambulance ramping and emergency department overcrowding issues.
Frustrated by the growing inequity of access to elective surgery, particularly in areas between the Sunshine Coast and Townsville, a group of dedicated doctors has been meeting over several months to develop an action plan to resolve the problems plaguing specialists and patients.
AMA Queensland’s Surgical Wait List Roundtable comprises a diverse mix of Queensland clinicians from a wide range of specialty areas with expertise in surgical services and regional and remote practice.
The Roundtable has reviewed the latest data, current strategies and policy approaches to address the increasing elective surgery wait lists and the consequences on emergency departments and our public health system.
The Roundtable met online regularly since its establishment and concluded on 11 September 2024. The result is the AMA Queensland Surgical Wait List Roundtable Action Plan detailing proposed actions and suggestions to the government.
Media
Media releases
- Hospital figures must consider regional Queenslanders
- Funding reform needed to fix regional surgical services
- Fundamental reform needed to fix Central Queensland surgical services
- Fundamental reform needed to fix Queensland's Central West surgical services
- Fundamental reform needed to fix Mackay surgical services
- Fundamental reform needed to fix West Moreton's surgical services
- Fundamental reform needed to fix Wide Bay surgical services
Media results - transcripts
- ABC Radio Hervey Bay - 26/11/24 - Region-specific approach required to reduce elective surgery wait times
- ABC Radio - 17/09/24 - Regional access to elective surgery unfair, harmful
- AMA Queensland latest news article - 25/07/24 - Surgical Wait List Roundtable Update
- Today Extra - 08/07/24 - Flu, COVID affecting elective surgery
- 4BC Radio - 20/05/24 - Solving our biggest healthcare problems
- 4BC Radio - 15/05/24 - Preventing elective surgery cancellations
- ABC Radio - 22/04/24 - Too many people waiting for healthcare
- ABC Radio - 22/04/24 - Regional surgery workforce needs a boost
- 4CA Radio - 08/04/24 - Regional patients need elective surgery support
- ABC Radio - 05/04/24 - Patients waiting too long for elective surgery
- AMA Queensland media release - 05/04/24 - New Surgical Wait List Roundtable to tackle regional access
