Tas program to remove eye cataracts

Health Minister Lara Giddings, has announced a $2 million program to remove cataracts from the eyes of an additional 1,002 Tasmanian patients by the end of August 2009, clearing long wait cases from the list.

Ms Giddings said the cataract surgery surge would spearhead a drive to clear long-wait cases from elective surgery waiting lists, complementing the elective surgery improvement program already in place.

“This is Tasmania’s Health Plan in action, and as Fred Hollows said, the gift of sight is the gift of life,” Ms Giddings said.

“The $2 million cataract surgery program will enable the completion of an additional 437 cataract procedures through the Royal Hobart Hospital, 325 through the Launceston General and 240 in the North West.

“The Royal Hobart Hospital will deliver the additional procedures by increasing the volume of surgery contracted through private hospitals as well as within the hospital.
 
“The North West Area Health Service is increasing the number of cataract sessions at the Mersey Community Hospital to provide an extra 20 cases a week for 12 weeks,” she said.

Ms Giddings said the additional 1,002 procedures would remove all long-wait cases from the cataract surgery waiting list and significantly reduce the extent of the list overall.
 
“The aim is to not only reduce the cataract waiting list, but to keep it down.

“With our ageing population it would not be possible to eliminate the waiting list completely, but the ability to see with clarity is vital to the capacity to enjoy life and to reduce the risk of falls and the need for further surgery.

“We want to see the list as low as possible and the wait for surgery as short as possible”.
 
“It is our goal to ensure that no Tasmanian patient assessed as ready for care has to wait longer than 365 days for an operation”.