Elective surgery patients needing up to 72 hours care in hospital, will again be able to have their procedure performed at Modbury Hospital from this week.
The Minister for Health and Wellbeing said the reintroduction of 72-hour surgeries will increase services at Modbury Hospital, allowing patients to receive care closer to home, while also driving down elective surgery wait times.
“Modbury lost its multi-day surgery capability under the previous Labor Government’s failed Transforming Health policy,” Minister Wade said.
“The Marshall Liberal Government is committed to winding back Transforming Health’s damaging downgrades to Modbury Hospital, Noarlunga Hospital and the Repat.
“In the first phase, flex beds have been made available for multi-day surgery patients and already this week three additional patients have had successful procedures at Modbury Hospital.
“We anticipate a reduction in elective surgery wait times because surgeries will be able to be performed at two sites within the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network; Modbury Hospital and the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
“This will reduce bed pressures on the Lyell McEwin Hospital and allow many patients from the north eastern suburbs to have their surgery and post-operative care closer to home.
“Our aim is to build on the access and equity of health care to those in the North and North Eastern suburbs and I commend the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) on their work on this initiative.”
After 72-hour surgeries were removed from Modbury Hospital in 2016, patients who required more than 23-hours post-operative care needed to have their procedure at the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
Head of Orthopaedics, Professor Ted Mah, said across NALHN steps are being taken to reduce the wait for patients on elective surgery waitlists.
“By having suitable elective surgery patients able to have their procedure and post-operative care at Modbury Hospital, we can optimise the use of existing operating theatres and clinical facilities,” Professor Mah said.
“With these surgeries now able to be performed at both the Lyell McEwin Hospital and Modbury Hospital, the aim is to enable patients to be seen and treated quicker across the network.”
Initially the 72-hour stay surgeries able to be performed at Modbury Hospital will include orthopaedic and general surgical procedures.
