You've heard of people choosing where to live based on school catchments, public transport options and crime rates. These things are often top of mind when considering location.
But interestingly, one of the most basic human needs – healthcare – is not usually considered.
Maybe this is because people don’t realise that in the public healthcare system, where you live can have an
impact on how soon you can access certain surgeries.
Your local public hospital determines your local wait time
Patients in the public system are not able to choose their specialist or hospital like they can in the private
system, because the public referral system is based largely on catchment area. The public hospital nearest you
is usually the one you'll be referred to.
This means that if your local hospital has a long waiting list for the procedure you need, you may be stuck
waiting through it.
Public hospitals will always prioritise you during an emergency or if your condition is considered clinically urgent.
However, for conditions that are categorised as non-urgent, long wait times may apply.
With this in mind, it can be really helpful to know what the wait times are for common procedures at your local
hospital.
So how long is your wait time?
We looked at five common elective surgeries to see how different the wait times really are in select major hospitals across Australia1.
These are median wait times, not averages. Median means that half of the people on the wait list waited longer than the median and half waited shorter than the median.
Please note that the following wait times start after you see a specialist. There’s a separate wait list before you see
a specialist called the ‘wait-to-wait’, but that’s another conversation.
The wait times shown below are for the 2021-2022 period so they do not take into consideration the impact of COVID-19 on current hospital wait times.
Tonsillectomy wait times
Tonsillitis most commonly affects young children aged 5-15 because schools or child-care centres can be breeding
grounds for the bacteria or viruses that can cause tonsillitis2.
A tonsillectomy, or surgical removal of tonsils, may be recommended by your doctor if you have had reoccurring,
chronic or severe tonsillitis or complications from other issues with the tonsils.
The road to recovery may take longer than you think, depending on where you live.
| Tonsillectomy wait times |
| Royal Perth Hospital (WA): |
188 days |
| Fiona Stanley Hospital (WA): |
358 days |
| Royal Adelaide Hospital (SA): |
168 days |
| Flinders Medical Centre (SA): |
93 days |
| Royal Melbourne Hospital (Vic): |
264 days |
| The Alfred (Vic): |
127 days |
| Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (NSW): |
162 days |
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (Qld):
|
349 days |
Gold Coast University Hospital (Qld):
|
82 days |
| Royal Darwin Hospital (NT): |
54 days |
| Canberra Hospital (ACT): |
485 days |
While you wait...
Untreated tonsillitis can lead to sore
throats, sleepless nights and missed school days. In chronic tonsillitis, these symptoms can come back again and
again for months, which can disrupt family life and performance in school. In acute tonsillitis, those swollen
tonsils in the back of the throat can cause breathing difficulty.
A parent’s guide to tonsils
Learn more about tonsillitis and tonsillectomy in this handy guide.
ACL reconstruction wait times
An ACL reconstruction is the surgery required to repair the Anterior Cruciate Ligament, an important
ligament in the knee.
We usually hear about sports players injuring an ACL and sitting out for the rest of the season. They get
medical treatment almost straight away, and still have to wait that long to get back to work8.
Those of us who aren’t footy stars could be unlucky enough to wait as long as 366 days for a surgery.
| ACL RECONSTRUCTION WAIT TIMES |
| Royal Perth Hospital (WA): |
63 days |
| Fiona Stanley Hospital (WA): |
67 days |
| Royal Adelaide Hospital (SA): |
112 days |
| Royal Melbourne Hospital (Vic): |
366 days |
| The Alfred (Vic): |
312 days |
| Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (NSW): |
6 days |
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (Qld):
|
85 days |
Gold Coast University Hospital (Qld):
|
69 days |
| Royal Darwin Hospital (NT): |
106 days |
| Canberra Hospital (ACT): |
185 days |
While you wait...
This can really throw a spanner in the works when it comes to work, school or family life. Not to mention
the medical consequences of leaving an ACL injury untreated. If left too long, ACL injuries can lead to
chronic knee problems such as ACL deficiency, which can cause your knee to buckle or give out, sometimes
with pain and swelling9.
Septoplasty wait times
A septoplasty is the surgery required to fix
a deviated septum, which is when the divider between your
two nostrils is bent7.
| SEPTOPLASTY WAIT TIMES |
| Royal Perth Hospital (WA): |
358 days |
| Fiona Stanley Hospital (WA): |
326 days |
| Royal Adelaide Hospital (SA): |
349 days |
| Flinders Medical Centre (SA): |
344 days |
| Royal Melbourne Hospital (Vic): |
700 days |
| The Alfred (Vic): |
262 days |
| Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (NSW): |
145 days |
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (Qld):
|
363 days |
Gold Coast University Hospital (Qld):
|
327 days |
| Royal Darwin Hospital (NT): |
259 days |
| Canberra Hospital (ACT): |
476 days |
While you wait...
A severely bent septum can cause regular sinus infections and breathing difficulties if not treated.
Myringoplasty/Tympanoplasty wait times
Both of these surgeries are used to repair a perforated eardrum.
Causes of perforated eardrum include head trauma, inserting a cotton bud too far, and
from air pressure changes when you catch a flight3.
| MYRINGOPLASTY / TYMPANOPLASTY WAIT TIMES |
| Royal Perth Hospital (WA): |
287 days |
| Fiona Stanley Hospital (WA): |
371 days |
| Royal Adelaide Hospital (SA): |
421 days |
| Flinders Medical Centre (SA): |
98 days |
| Royal Melbourne Hospital (Vic): |
280 days |
| The Alfred (Vic): |
132 days |
| Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (NSW): |
280 days |
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (Qld):
|
348 days |
Gold Coast University Hospital (Qld):
|
296 days |
| Royal Darwin Hospital (NT): |
180 days |
| Canberra Hospital (ACT): |
590 days |
While you wait...
If left untreated, a perforated eardrum can sometimes repair itself. But while it’s healing, you may suffer
hearing loss in the affected ear4.
If you can’t hear correctly, you can’t listen and learn correctly. This means that for young kids,
prolonged hearing loss can lead to trouble speaking.
A perforated eardrum is also vulnerable to infection, particularly if you get water in it. If your doctor has
recommended surgery, there’s a chance of infection or complications until the eardrum is repaired.
Myringotomy wait times
A myringotomy is a surgery commonly used in a grommets procedure that relieves pressure and fluid that builds up inside the ear during an ear
infection5.
This one is common in kids – just like tonsillectomies – because kids under 10 years old are more
likely to
get ear infections.
| MYRINGOTOMY WAIT TIMES |
| Fiona Stanley Hospital (WA): |
160 days |
| Royal Adelaide Hospital (SA): |
97 days |
| Flinders Medical Centre (SA): |
60 days |
| Royal Victorian Ear and Eye Hospital (VIC): |
107 days |
| Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (NSW): |
181 days |
Gold Coast University Hospital (Qld):
|
72 days |
| Royal Darwin Hospital (NT): |
70 days* |
| Canberra Hospital (ACT): |
536 days |
While you wait...
Pain, trouble hearing, and a chance of re-infection can all come with an untreated ear
infection6.