Portland District Health has capacity for an additional 400 to 500 operations each year above its current workload.
PORTLAND hospital wants to help ease the long surgery waiting list at Warrnambool Base Hospital, which has blown out to about 1300 patients.
Only days after The Standard revealed Warrnambool had a record waiting list, Portland District Health said it could handle up to an extra 500 operations annually and that surgery lists were not being fully utilised.
“Portland hospital has capacity to do more surgery and is continuing a campaign encouraging local residents to use its facilities,” acting chief executive Ros Jones said.
“In some case PDH also has capacity to help people from the Warrnambool district facing delays of more than a year for elective surgery.
“Patients from Portland region were adding to the delay burden in Warrnambool, but in many cases could easily and safely have their surgery performed closer to home.”
Ms Jones said PDH had capacity for an additional 400 to 500 operations each year above its current workload.
“There is an opportunity for private or public Warrnambool patients to use our facilities for general surgery, urology, endoscopies, ear, nose, throat and eye surgery.
“Warrnambool surgeons can use Portland’s theatre on a fortnightly basis, but their lists are not being fully utilised.
“The waiting list for most surgeries at Portland is well below state averages.” Ms Jones said some Portland residents were under the wrong impression certain surgical procedures could not be done locally.
“PDH is well regarded by 19 surgeons who visit each month, including several from Warrnambool,” she said.
“It also boasts one of the lowest infection rates of any hospital in Australia, is ranked as one of the cleanest and regularly surpasses state averages in state satisfaction.”