Of the people waiting to be operated on, the majority (801) are gastroenterology related, with general surgery (389) and ophthalmology (358) the next highest.
Tauranga woman Genevieve White, who is waiting for a hip replacement, this week spoke out about how the wait has affected her, forcing her to take days off work and study because of the pain.
Mrs White said the BOPDHB initially told her she could wait up to 10 months for the desperately needed operation, which she will receive in March after transferring her care from Tauranga to Whakatane Hospital.
"At first I was told up to 10 months in total, five months wait to see a specialist and then up to five months for the operation," she told the Bay of Plenty Times.
"I was very shocked as I have been in a lot of pain," she said.
"My leg has been very weak for a long time and I was stiff. I am studying to become a teacher and I was finding I couldn't get up and down off the ground with the kids some days. The pain really has changed how I was living life.
"Over the summer holidays I have had a part-time job and there have been days the pain was so bad I could not not face going to work and I had to call in sick. It is not easy but I am so thankful I am finally being treated, even if my family has to drive to Whakatane to see me afterwards."
Another BOPDHB patient, Tauranga woman Deb, who did not want her surname published, said she had been waiting three months for gynaecological surgery. She said the strain was affecting her marriage and her employment.
"I am in so much pain every day," she said. "Some days are worse than others and I have to take time off work. I am lucky my boss has been very understanding but I am no longer being paid for my time off, because I have had so many sick days.
"It is tough on my family. We struggle financially but there are times when I just can't work because the pain is excruciating. Pain killers just don't cut it anymore."
A BOPDHB spokesperson said the DHB delivered more elective surgeries than it was contracted to for the year to June 30, 2013, achieving 107 per cent of the target volumes.
"By June 30, 2013, the BOPDHB had no one waiting longer than the targeted five months for a first specialist assessment or five months for treatment and, therefore, achieved 100 per cent of the target," he wrote in an email.
According to the TNS report, 25 per cent of those adults waiting for surgery in the public system said they had taken an average of 5.1 weeks off work because of the pain.