Same day surgery updates expected to free up more than 600 beds in hospitals across NSW
A further 14 types of surgery are being added to the NSW government’s list of ‘same day surgery’ procedures, allowing people to recover at home rather than hospital and freeing up hospital beds across the state.
NSW Health said it would introduce “new targets for an additional 14 procedures to encourage hospitals to perform more same-day surgeries”.
By preventing unnecessary hospitalization, patients arrive, have their procedures done, and are discharged on the same day, if clinically appropriate.
There were initially eight different surgeries on the list.
The increase in the types of surgeries where patients can be treated and discharged on the same day will save 3000 bed days in the NSW public health system and create capacity for a further 600 patients.
The newest group of eligible surgeries includes removal of bunions, elective removal of the appendix and/or hemorrhoids, rotator cuff repair, and knee ligament repair.
A number of procedures performed primarily by women have also been added to this list, including removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries and repair of the vaginal walls.
The move is part of a plan first introduced by the NSW government in 2024 that aims to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and free up beds for those who need them most.
Health Minister Ryan Park said same-day surgeries were a “win for everyone”, meaning the government could “get healthcare to more people, and do it sooner”.
“No one wants to stay in hospital longer than they clinically need to, so by safely discharging people to recover at home with the support they need, we create capacity for someone else who needs that bed, whether it’s admitting someone from the emergency department more quickly or calling someone from the surgical waiting list,” Mr. Park said.
“Same-day surgeries are possible thanks to the great advances made in surgical techniques over the years, as well as the comprehensive design of the model by our clinical experts, guided by the latest scientific evidence.
“This is another way our government can optimize healthcare and do so safely so people in NSW can access the care they need faster and more conveniently.”
The eight previous surgeries that made up the ‘same day surgery’ program included hernia surgeries, tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies, gallbladder removals, nose surgeries, sinus and complex middle ear surgeries, mastectomies, thyroid interventions and hysterectomies.
