Audit background 

Planned or elective surgery refers to a surgical procedure that can be booked in advance, as opposed to emergency surgery that must be performed immediately.

Each year approximately 200,000 patients have planned surgeries in NSW public hospitals. Patients are placed on a hospital’s waiting list and given a clinical urgency priority depending on the seriousness of their condition. Managing waiting lists to ensure patients’ timely access to planned surgeries is a key priority for the NSW Government and NSW Health. 

Audit objective 

This audit will consider whether NSW Health efficiently and effectively provides access to planned surgery. This includes assessment of the following activities and functions: 

• Policies and requirements for the management of surgical waiting lists at hospitals
• Initiatives, plans and strategies to ensure there is capacity to deliver planned surgeries in line with demand
• Collection, quality checking, analysis and reporting of wait list activity and performance data
• Achievement of planned surgery access performance expectations, including timeliness and equitability of patients’ access across NSW.

Estimated tabling period 

Mid-2026 

Audited entities 

NSW Health