Page 1089 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 30 March 2011
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are these other issues impacting on these waiting lists. We also support the removal of long-wait patients. That is something which will address waiting lists. Paragraph (1)(b) states:
that the Quarterly Performance Report December 2010 shows that:
(ii) the proportion of Category 1 “urgent” patients who have their surgery on time has deteriorated …
This again is true. Paragraph (1)(b)(iii) states:
the number of patients waiting longer than a year for elective surgery has increased …
Again, this is a factual statement and it is borne out in the statistics in the report. Paragraph (1)(b)(iv) states:
the proportion of patients who have had their elective surgery postponed has increased …
This is a true statement, and I agree with it. It also says on page 6 of the report to the Australian government that the number of people waiting longer than the recommended waiting times for surgery in the ACT dropped by 21 per cent over the 2010 calendar year. I guess there is some confusion possibly caused by these different reports on that statistic. I think it actually depends on what statistics you are pulling out.
Another point which Mr Hanson has not reflected on is the levels of demand for elective surgery, why they are increasing and the impact of factors such as an increase in presentations to emergency last year because of the swine flu. This has an impact and, again, we have got to acknowledge that there are these impacts. Paragraph (1)(b)(v) states:
the percentage of Emergency Department presentations seen on time has deteriorated across four of the five categories …
This has occurred, but it is also, again, true to say that there has been an increase in presentations. A more useful measure here would probably be how many patients have experienced a deterioration in their illness which threatened their life because of their wait. That would actually give you a better picture of whether the health system is having an impact on people’s lives.
The Greens are interested in seeing outcome measures pursued, as we believe they are more telling than outputs or just a number. Outcome measures give a greater meaning to the statistics and tell you whether or not a patient is getting better because of the service. Paragraph 1(b)(vi) states:
6 030 patients presenting at Emergency Departments did not wait for treatment, an increase of 14 percent from 2009-10 …
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