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THE Sydney South West Area Health Service has rejected the NSW Opposition’s claims that patients are waiting too long for eye surgery at Liverpool Hospital.
Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner said 376 patients were waiting for ophthalmology surgery at the hospital, most of whom need cataract surgery.
She said on average patients waited up to six months for ophthalmic surgery at the hospital.
But a spokeswoman for the health service said patients needing ophthalmic surgery at Liverpool Hospital were receiving it well within benchmark times.
“Patients are prioritised according to need. Those classified as most urgent, or category A, are on average scheduled for surgery within 15 days, well within the 30-day benchmark,” she said.
“Category B patients are seen within 36 days, well within the 90-day benchmark, and category C patients requiring surgery within 12 months, are on average receiving treatment in under nine months.
“Liverpool Hospital recently increased the number of ophthalmic surgery sessions being performed to address the increasing demand and help to further reduce waiting times for patients.”
Mrs Skinner said waiting times would increase due to Federal Government cuts to the Medicare rebates for cataract surgery.
The rebate for common cataract surgery has been reduced by 45 per cent from $623.70 to $340.76.
“(It) means more people will be thrown into an already crowded public system, (and) will wait even longer,” Mrs Skinner said.
In a written statement, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon told the Leader advances in technology have meant that cataract surgery is now quicker and cheaper.
“We believe patients and taxpayers, not specialists – earning on average $500,000 a year from Medicare alone – should reap the benefits of these improvements,” she said.
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