A statement from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) about the restoration of elective surgery. To be able to increase the availability of elective surgery in a safe and equitable way on a nationally consistent basis.
Elective surgery to become incrementally available without increasing the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring the capacity of the hospital system is maintained to respond when needed.
A large proportion of hospital care has been deferred to ensure adequate hospital capacity to respond to COVID-19. Activity in hospitals has slowed and much of this has been due to formal restrictions on non‑urgent treatment, but also, in part, this has resulted from clinician and patient perceptions of risks