Thousands more public patients will soon receive elective surgery in the public system, with the Andrews Labor Government officially opening the Frankston Public Surgical Centre.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas today visited the new dedicated public surgical centre – formerly known as the Frankston Private Hospital – to see first-hand how it will help deliver more elective surgery.

The centre will help more than 9,000 public patients every year get the care they need and reduce Victoria’s elective surgery waiting list. With no emergency department, the centre will focus on delivering elective surgery – meaning patients can get the treatment they need faster.

Operated by Peninsula Health, the new public hospital consists of three operating theatres and 60 inpatient beds and will offer a range of different surgical services including gynaecology, urology, orthopaedics and general surgery.

With the transition from private hospital to public surgical centre now complete, additional works to convert two procedure rooms into operating theatres will begin – with the additional theatres set to open in early 2023.

Patients will receive the same expert level of care, with the majority of the dedicated staff deciding to stay on to care for Victorians in the public system. They’ll also be supported by a range of clinical staff, doctors and allied health professionals who work across Peninsula Health campuses.

The Labor Government recently announced that Bellbird Private Hospital will also transition into public hands. Once fully operational, the two facilities will deliver close to 15,000 surgeries each year combined.

The initiatives are part of the Government’s $1.5 billion COVID Catch Up Plan – the state’s long-term strategy to reform elective surgery so every Victorian can get the care they need when they need it.

The plan will deliver more surgery than ever before by boosting staffing and resources to better coordinate and streamline surgical activity across the system. These investments will gradually build up to deliver a record 240,000 surgeries every year by 2024 – an additional 40,000 procedures annually compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The plan will also support 400 nurses to complete postgraduate training in perioperative nursing, 1,000 nurses to upskill in general surgery and recovery and the upskilling of 30 theatre and sterilisation technicians.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“Across the nation, the pandemic has disrupted care for many while nurses and doctors focused on patients in the most critical conditions. That’s why we’re doing everything we can to help get back to pre-pandemic levels of care for Victorian patients.”

“With no emergency department diverting healthcare workers to more critical patients, this facility will be completely dedicated to Covid catch up care – delivering 9,000 elective surgeries a year and putting patients first.”