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Auckland was under more pressure than any other area to lift rates to match population growthAuckland's district health board bosses have presented the Government with plans for three "super centres" to boost the number of elective surgery operations by up to 18,000 within four years.
The three hospital boards yesterday released proposals for new centres dedicated to elective surgery in Green Lane and on the North Shore, and an extension to Manukau's existing "super centre".
The proposals were presented to Health Minister Tony Ryall after he asked hospital bosses for quick action on National's policy of providing 20 new operating theatres dedicated to elective surgery to help reduce waiting lists.
Counties Manukau chief executive Geraint Martin said 12 extra theatres in the region would boost the number of elective operations by up to 18,000 a year by 2013 - a 53 per cent increase on current numbers.
If they get the go-ahead, the proposed centre at Green Lane with four operating theatres could be in use by 2011, and a similar-sized centre in North Shore a year later.
There were also plans to extend Manukau's 10-theatre clinic by 2013 - adding two two operating theatres and two theatres for smaller procedures.
Last year, the three hospital boards did about 33,500 operation, and the proposal to lift the numbers is based on Manukau's "super clinic" - which was reserved for outpatient, specialist and elective surgery, rather than using emergency surgery facilities.
The boards expect to report back to Mr Ryall by August with a more complete business case, including the costs.
Although the proposal is at the initial stages, Mr Ryall welcomed it yesterday as a first step towards tackling the waiting lists - one of National's promises in its 100-day plan.
He said using specific elective surgery theatres, rather than relying on emergency care theatres, would reduce the uncertainty faced by patients and the risk of operations being delayed.
National's election year manifesto pledged $180 million in capital costs for its 20-theatres policy, with operational costs on top of that.
It estimated that about 800 new staff - such as specialists, anaesthetists and nurses - would be required, and Mr Ryall said the Government was in discussions to ensure adequate numbers were trained.
Labour criticised the proposals for falling short of what National promised within its 100-day plan.
Health spokeswoman Ruth Dyson said Mr Ryall had simply presented a proposal based on a concept that already existed.
He was "clearly desperate to show he was doing something other than sacking a DHB chair and cancelling conferences".
Mr Ryall said that despite the health budget almost doubling to $12 billion since 2000, the number of patients having elective
surgery had increased by 9.3 per cent between 2000 and last year - from 107,911 to 117,932 - just below the population increase of 9.6 per cent over the same time.
In written advice on National's policy, Ministry of Health officials said wider Auckland was under more pressure than any other area to lift its surgery rates to keep pace with population growth.
Mr Ryall had asked what was required to increase the number of elective surgery operations to 190,000 by 2026 - about 70,0000 operations more than last year.
The ministry report showed that while some hospital boards were performing at the required level, the main centres were struggling.
Auckland and Waitemata would have to double the amount of elective surgery now being done to meet the target. Counties Manukau would have to lift it by 64 per cent.
It estimated 26 new operating theatres would be needed to reach that level - 14 in the wider Auckland region, four in Wellington and the Hutt Valley, three in Waikato and three in Canterbury.
