24/04/2013 00:00
TW
0

THE number of patients who are waiting to have an operation in the Balearics, included on the “more than 6 months” Surgery Waiting List, has been reduced by 91 percent in the last six months. According to Aina Castillo, Balearic minister for Health and Consumer Affairs, speaking yesterday in Parliament, the figure has fallen from 827 people waiting for operations last August to a mere 10 as at 31 March this year. She announced that the objective of the regional government is to get Parliament to approve statutes within the next six months which will guarantee patients a maximum waiting time. Castillo highlighted the fact that in the last 8 months, delays on (under 6 months) waiting lists for surgical operations have been reduced by nearly 8 percent, since numbers have fallen from 12'356 to 11'387 patients, nearly 1'000 less. Average waiting time has been reduced from 85 days in August to 67 days in December, and 62 by the end of March. Castillo added significantly that these improvements have been achieved even though there has been 12 percent greater activity in the operating theatre than the previous year. According to the Ministry, these figures are commensurate with the target of reducing average waiting time, as set out in a draft proposal brought before Parliament last year. In order to achieve these results, Castillo explained that the health service had used every available means at its disposal. The facilities at the General Hospital had been galvanised into action with four surgeons; special operating units had been set up such as that of San Juan de Dios which catered for 244 patients, and the Cruz Roja Hospital which attended the needs of 580. Between January and March, more than 10'000 patients had been seen to by the combined resources of public hospitals and the health centres used as back-up. The minister announced that before summer, two new surgical operating units were to be opened in order to continue reducing the waiting lists: one specialising in Urology at the General Hospital and the other in ear, nose and throat conditions at the Red Cross Hospital. These units form part of a programme which guarantees the patient a maximum waiting period of 30 days from the time advice is sought and the date of operating.