黑料吃瓜群网

New data shows that wait times continue to blow out as elective surgeries resume in New South Wales and Victoria.

The latest information from the suggests 11,000 anticipated admissions were missing from private hospitals in the last quarter of 2021.

The missing surgeries will take some time to work through, according to Lucy Cheetham, Acting CEO,

鈥淚t is important to note that these numbers only include the very beginning of the Omicron wave in Australia and not elective surgery restrictions in place on the east coast until last month.

鈥淚t has been almost two years now of on/off elective surgery restrictions for private hospitals and the health system; that adds up to significant wait times for patients as surgery returns.

鈥淓lective surgery, while not life threatening, is still necessary. It includes surgery like knee and hip replacements or cataract surgery. Making people wait for these surgeries means Australians are left managing pain, low quality of life and even difficulty seeing.鈥�

Now that restrictions have eased in most states, Cheetham said private hospitals will be working hard to address this backlog as quickly as possible.

鈥淛ust as when the pandemic hit and private hospitals stepped up to the mark to be part of the fight against COVID-19, the private sector will again help to ensure Australians get access to the care they need.鈥�

Cheetham said the need for more nurses in Australia is greater than ever as the health sector addresses pent up demand as highlighted in APHA鈥檚 federal Budget submission.

鈥淎lthough special migration exemptions were granted for nurses joining the COVID-19 response, skilled migration is well below pre-pandemic levels. The high-level skills and experience these migrants bring supplements our own workforce and provides the support and supervision needed by new graduates as we welcome them into the hospital sector. The sector also needs relief from costs of sponsorship and the flexibility to deploy these highly skilled clinicians to where they are most needed.鈥�

In addition, the APRA data shows an increase in Australians taking up private health insurance 鈥� a further 58,459 insured persons for hospital care over the quarter, Cheetham said.

鈥淗owever, today鈥檚 data also shows private health insurers continue to hold on to members鈥� funds in deferred claims liability 鈥� now standing at $1.4 billion. Health funds reported profits of $1.8 billion to the end of 2021, up 230% on the previous year. It is now incumbent on insurers to work with hospitals to ensure patients who have been waiting for treatment are able to receive the treatment they need.

Image credit: 漏stock.adobe.com/au/Gorodenkoff