OUTPATIENT waitlists at Canberra Health Services are not improving, say the Canberra Liberals. 

Figures provided by the Health Minister show:

• In the year to October, the waitlist for specialist appointments has increased by 18 per cent up to 35,292.
• 79 per cent of initial appointments had not occurred within clinically recommended timeframes, up 11 per cent to 27,780.
• patients waiting longer than recommended jumped 30 per cent for general surgery, 52 per cent for cardiology, 63 per cent for pediatrics, 70 per cent for neurology, 115 per cent for vascular surgery and 309 per cent for oral-maxillofacial surgery.

The Liberals said that, in October 2022, 724 semi-urgent cardiology patients were waiting longer than the clinically recommended 90 days for an initial appointment. By October 2023 there were 1300 and the average wait time is now more than seven months.

Non-urgent patients were waiting around four years on average to see a urologist, orthopaedic surgeon, dermatologist or ear, nose and throat specialist.