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Doctors must be able to speak up safely
August 20, 2026
MEDIA STATEMENT FROM AMA (NSW) PRESIDENT DR FRED BETROS
AMA (NSW) welcomes the Government’s announcement of the expansion and the additional investment in High-Volume short stay surgery beyond existing sites at Northern Beaches and Hawkesbury District Hospitals. Getting patients to theatre sooner is important, particularly for those in regional communities who have been waiting longest.
An estimated 2,300 additional procedures by July 2027 is welcome, but it sits against a waiting list of tens of thousands. This is a useful contribution, not a solution.
What matters now is delivery. Selecting the right patient for a short stay pathway is a clinical decision made in consultation with the treating doctor, and appropriate arrangements for post-operative follow-up.
Care should be delivered as close to home as possible for patients. It is encouraging to see programs at Campbelltown, Shellharbour and Wagga Wagga, and across Western NSW and the Mid North Coast.
Additional lists only translate into additional surgery if the workforce is there to staff them. New programs should not be resourced by drawing staff away from existing services, which moves the waiting list rather than shortens it.
We will continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure this investment delivers surgery that is safe, close to home, and led by the doctors who know the patient.
Media: P: 0419 402 955 E: media@amansw.com.au