State Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy said the SurgerySooner policy would give public patients greater choice by allowing them to have surgery at a participating private hospital or day surgery at no cost.
The program would deliver an additional 25,000 surgeries each year, focusing on procedures including hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery, hernia repairs, gynaecological procedures, gastroscopies and colonoscopies.
The Nationals MP said the policy would make a real difference for patients across Cobram, Yarrawonga and other communities throughout the Ovens Valley.
“A Liberal and Nationals government will put patients first and get Victorians the surgery they need, sooner,” he said.
“Regional Victorians should not have to wait longer for vital surgery simply because of where they live.
“For many people across the Ovens Valley, accessing healthcare can already mean travelling significant distances and taking time away from work and family.
“This plan is about using capacity that already exists to get people treated sooner, rather than leaving them stuck on a waiting list.
“Whether it is a hip replacement, cataract surgery or an important diagnostic procedure, people deserve timely access to the care they need.”
The program is based on a successful Queensland model and would partner with more than 100 private surgical hospitals and day surgeries across Victoria.
