Surgical services

Improving surgical services for all Victorians.

Popular resources

Planned procedures in Victoria

Planned procedures are a core part of Victoria’s health system. They include surgery and other procedures that can be booked in advance, along with non surgical treatment where appropriate.

The system supports timely access, fair prioritisation and safe care for Victorians.

How the system works

Patients are referred to a specialist clinic. They are assessed and prioritised based on clinical need. If surgery or another procedure is required, the patient is added to a planned surgery waiting list and supported while waiting for care. In some cases, non surgical treatment may be suitable.

Policy and guidance

Planned surgery access policy 2024

The Planned surgery access policy 2024 sets out the department’s expectations for access to planned surgery and procedures in Victorian public health services.

Robotic assisted surgery

The robotic assisted surgery (RAS) policy provides updated formal direction to the sector, including the department's position on RAS investment.

Planned surgery access policy communication toolkit

The Planned surgery communication toolkit supports improved communication quality and reduces the risk of patients missing out on planned surgical care.

Reform and improvement

Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint

The Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint outlines our plans to improve planned surgery in Victoria, and the positive impact of changes already underway.

Day surgery implementation toolkit

This toolkit supports health services to safely introduce, expand and monitor day surgery pathways through local adaptation of best practice guidelines.

Victorian audit of surgical mortality

The Victorian Audit of Surgical Mortality is a systematic peer-review audit of deaths associated with surgical care.

Clinical guidance

Specialist clinics - resources

A range of publications about specialist clinics in Victoria, which are available in both English and other languages (not all resources are multilingual).

Victorian Endoscopy Categorisation Decision Support Tool

The tool supports clinical prioritisation when assessing referrals for colonoscopy and gastroscopy. It should be used with clinical judgement.

Surgical services research and reviews

Expert, evidence-based surgical research assists in the development of health policy and supports Victorian hospitals, clinicians and consumers.

Tools and services

VicKey for Victorian health services

VicKey is a secure online patient portal for Victorian health services. It streamlines patient communication, waitlist management, and specialist clinic referrals to enhance care efficiency and quality.

My Surgical Journey

My Surgical Journey guides patients through each stage of planned surgery and explains what they can expect.

Updated

Back to top