Second heart surgery unit to be set up at SCGH

Western Australia's second heart surgery unit will be established at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

Health Minister Keith Wilson said the unit, a major initiative in this year's Health Budget, would significantly reduce waiting times for heart operations.

Mr Wilson said he had accepted the recommendations of a review committee made up of three medical specialists from outside WA that the new unit should go to SCGH.

The existing unit is at Royal Perth Hospital.

Fremantle Hospital and an expansion of the existing surgery facilities at RPH were also considered for the second unit.

The review committee consisted of Mr Douglas Bird, a cardiothoracic surgeon, Professor John Hickey, a cardiologist, and the chief executive officer of the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Dr Brendon Kearney.

Mr Wilson said the committee reported that extra heart surgery services were needed in WA because of the ageing population and an increasing demand for heart operations.

"At present 360 Western Australians are on RPH's waiting list for heart surgery, and the report found waiting times for routine elective cardiac surgery were up to eight months," he said.

"As with other measures in the Health Budget, the findings of the review will be acted on to achieve further efficiencies and improve access for Western Australians needing cardiothoracic surgery.

The report said back-up facilities and staff available at SCGH were excellent, and the academic and research atmosphere at the hospital would upgrade heart surgery in Perth.

Mr Wilson said that until the new unit was up and running, funds would be made available to RPH for it to sustain maximum operating capacity.

The review committee recommended dividing Perth's five heart surgeons into two teams, with three at RPH and two at SCGH.

RPH would then be able to handle about 900 cases a year and SCGH between 500 and 600 a year.

In addition, the Mount Private Hospital should be encouraged to increase its workload to between 600 and 700 heart cases a year.

The committee also recommended that RPH, SCGH and Fremantle Hospital be directed to set up and provide on a regular basis adequate data on matters such as waiting lists, cancellations and lengths of patient stay in heart treatment cases.

Mr Wilson said the report also recommended that subject to certain conditions, Fremantle Hospital should begin performing angioplasty (the surgical reconstruction of blood vessels).