Faster elective surgery promised

File photo / Northern Advocate

Auckland patients have been promised faster access to elective surgery with the addition of three new public hospital operating theatres.

The three new theatres in Greenlane - and a fourth that has been refurbished and expanded - are the first of the 20 dedicated elective surgery theatres promised by the National Party before the 2008 election.

"Aucklanders having elective surgery can look forward to shorter waiting times, fewer postponements and reduced cancellations thanks to the new Greenlane Surgical Centre," the Auckland District Health Board said yesterday after the centre's official opening by Health Minister Tony Ryall.

The new centre is in the existing Greenlane Clinical Centre.

It cost $27 million and includes a new instrument sterilisation department and, from next year, a new eye clinic.

It will also have a 30-bed overnight ward for post-operative care from next year.

This marks - in a small way - a return to the way the facility operated until 2003 when the name Greenlane Hospital was dropped.

The health board's inpatient services were consolidated at the Auckland City Hospital in Grafton, while the Greenlane Clinical Centre focused on outpatients and day surgery.

The new surgery centre will free beds at Auckland City Hospital.

The idea behind performing some elective surgery in a separate hospital from emergency surgery is that when the two are combined, resources devoted to elective or non-urgent treatment are sometimes diverted to emergency care in times of high demand.

The Counties Manukau DHB's Manukau Surgery Centre is the model for the partial separation which is expected to boost productivity.

This is a core concern for Mr Ryall, who wants to increase the large rise in elective surgery case numbers the Government has already achieved.

He said yesterday the Waikato DHB was creating two dedicated electives theatres and a proposal by the Waitemata DHB to build four at its North Shore campus was being considered.

There was "no definitive period" for completing the 20 theatres, which "may be over the next five years".

"Separating elective care from emergency care does work," he said.

"Creating dedicated elective theatres, beds and staff results in shorter waiting times, fewer postponements, and reduced cancellations. It improves patient convenience and maximises productivity.

"Dedicated elective theatres and wards can improve quality, patient safety, reduced infections and better training opportunities."