The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) has issued an urgent call to governments across Australia to engage in genuine negotiations to resolve the pressing issues facing the NSW Health surgical workforce.
People in NSW are now waiting almost twice as long on average for elective surgery, including cataract operations, than they were 20 years ago. Workforce pressures and chronic understaffing have contributed to a decline in performance across the country, putting immense strain on both clinicians and patients.
The latest data from NSW shows cataract surgery is the worst-performing procedure in terms of being performed on time, returning to near-pandemic levels.
Only 56.6% of cataract extractions were performed on time in the October to December 2024 quarter, which was 27% down on the corresponding 2023 quarter.
April to June 2020 was the last time that cataract surgery rated this poorly, at a rate of 53%.
“Our surgeons are dedicated to providing the highest standard of care for patients across NSW Health public hospitals, however, they cannot continue to do so under the current conditions,” said outgoing RACS president, Associate Professor Kerin Fielding.
“We are increasingly seeing bureaucratic overreach and planning without senior clinician input, which has escalated over the past year. This has significantly impacted surgeon work practices, workforce wellbeing, surgical training, and most importantly, patient safety.”
A/Prof Fielding warned that the current conditions had led to resignations and industrial action across multiple jurisdictions, exemplified by recent strikes in NSW and the resignations in ACT.
“The industrial action reflects the consequences of chronic understaffing, unmanageable workloads, and poor working conditions. These issues threaten the quality of patient care and jeopardise the sustainability of our healthcare system both in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand,” she said.
The College’s concerns are backed by a recent national survey conducted by the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation, which revealed mounting fears of a widespread exodus of medical professionals from public hospitals across Australia.
“Without meaningful reform and collaboration, the system is under serious threat, and many surgeons will leave the public sector, costing the government millions in training and support. We must work together now to turn this situation around before it’s too late.”
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons urges all stakeholders to prioritise dialogue and action to ensure a sustainable, safe, and high-quality surgical care system across Australia and New Zealand.
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