The past year has seen a measurable rise in elective surgeries across South Australia as the State Government leans on public and private sector partnerships to take pressure off waiting lists. New figures show 61,875 elective procedures were completed in the last financial year, which is nearly nine thousand more than the final year under the previous government. Outpatient specialist appointments have climbed as well, with more than a million recorded in both 2023 and 2024.
The Western Hospital agreement has become one of the government’s more prominent examples of this approach. The Henley Beach facility, which was rescued from voluntary administration through a joint funding arrangement, has now exceeded its first year targets. Under the three year agreement, Western Hospital is required to complete four thousand elective surgeries drawn from the public system.
As of its one year anniversary on 1 November, the hospital had completed 1,065 procedures, with a further 110 already booked and 156 referrals awaiting review. The busiest areas so far include gastroenterology, gynaecology, general surgery and ophthalmology. Progress has been strong enough that year two of the program has started ahead of schedule. Patients have been referred from across the system, most notably from the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network.
The State Government contributed three million dollars to support the hospital’s sale and to upgrade its outpatient services. Leaders involved in the arrangement argue that the partnership has delivered benefits on both sides, helping Western Hospital stabilise financially while giving the public system extra capacity during periods of high demand.
Western Hospital has marked the anniversary by opening a new 16 bed inpatient ward and a day surgery clinic that will serve public and private patients. GenesisCare has also launched a chemotherapy clinic on the site, which is expected to help residents in the western suburbs access treatment more easily while keeping follow up care connected to the hospital.
SA Health says the Western Hospital project is part of a wider strategy to maintain elective surgery throughput during pressure points in the public system. Partnerships with private providers sit alongside other measures, such as extending theatre sessions, running additional clinics, increasing consultant numbers and improving communication with patients through new digital tools. The department has released an elective surgery strategy outlining its direction for the coming years, with a focus on improving pathways, expanding access and supporting the workforce.
Health Minister Chris Picton said the numbers reflect a clear increase in surgical activity and outpatient appointments across the state. He described the Western Hospital partnership as a practical way to ease bottlenecks and noted the expansion of the hospital’s facilities as a welcome development for the community.
Robyn Lindsay, Deputy Chief Executive for Clinical System Support and Improvement, said referrals to Western Hospital had exceeded expectations in several high demand specialties. She pointed to the ongoing review of waiting lists and the mix of public and private initiatives aimed at improving access to care.
Western Hospital chief executive David Coorey called the partnership an example of how collaboration can improve both access and capacity. He said the agreement had helped deliver timelier surgeries, eased pressure on the public system and supported the hospital’s growth at a critical moment.
The government says the broader effort sits within its aim to expand the health system through more beds and thousands of additional clinical staff. The elective surgery plan is available on the SA Health website.
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