Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint video

Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint | Video Transcript

In May 2023, the Department of Health hosted a planned surgery reform showcase, building on 12 months of sector engagement, to design the future of planned surgery in Victoria.

Those discussions, your insights, experience and knowledge have contributed to the Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint.

IMAGE: A view of people engaged in discussion in a conference room. A panel is also shown answering questions from the group.

Looking at the person holistically, from before they come in, as they prepare for surgery, and as they come out as they recover. You know, we can bundle people together and we can have blitzes but to really take the time to consider how do we make this work better into the future? How do we make it better for everyone? 

IMAGE: The Minister for Health the Hon. Mary-Anne Thomas MP speaks enthusiastically to a crowd. She has short brown hair and wears a smart purple shirt and glasses. The crowd are listening to her intently.

You told us that you need greater consistency and coordination across the sector, enhanced communication across care settings, proactive patient management at all stages of the patient journey, a sufficient and sustainable workforce and digital solutions and technology.

IMAGE: A solid navy background shows white text in bullet points.

Now as you know, the final build to rise out of our Blueprint, your Blueprint for surgical reform is fundamentally to improve the provision and outcomes for planned surgery in our state, but we’re actually all working on the same plan with the same goal, and really definition of collaboration. 

IMAGE: The Secretary to the Department of Health Professor Euan Wallace speaks to a crowd from a lectern. He wears a black suit with a white shirt and a patterned tie. Conversations between crowd members and another speaker is shown at the lectern while he speaks.

Working towards the system aim that all Victorians can access timely planned surgery or non-surgical treatment when they need it and experience safe and equitable outcomes now and into the future.

IMAGE: A solid navy background shows white text in bullet points.

We are exploring many of the reform ideas that we have already collected in our stakeholder engagement. What we really need from here is these interested stakeholders to take forward our reform ideas, take them back to their hospitals, their HSPs, their services and to help us to improve surgery in Victoria for all Victorians. Amazing ideas out there that have already been undertaken by health services and HSPs, starting even before the pandemic.

IMAGE: Victoria’s Chief Surgical Advisor, Professor Ben Thomson, in front of a large window. There are indoor plants behind him. He wears a suit and tie, and his arms are tucked behind his back. 

So, it’s not that there's been no surgical reform in Victoria, it's just that we're now gathering all of those ideas, propagating them out to all health services, so they can choose which ones they think would be relevant to their hospital, to their patients, to improve the patient journey.

IMAGE: A group of people are shown in conversation. A navy solid background with white text appears describing where to locate the Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint online.

The future of planned surgery reform is in our hands. Consider how you can implement planned surgery reform in your health service.

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