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1. What was proposed (co-sponsored)Leanne CastleyLiberal · OppositionShane RattenburyGreens · Crossbench
   Read the original wording (540 words)

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) growing concerns from clinicians and patients about excessive elective surgery waiting lists, the lack of access to data on wait times for specialist procedures and appointments, delayed access to urgent care and reports of interference in clinical decision making; and (b) the only available data for wait times for specialist appointments for 2022- 2023 shows that clinical time frames are not being met. The average patient in either category one, category two, or category three was not seen in a clinically indicated time frame for the following craft groups: (i) ear, nose and throat; (ii) general surgery; (iii) neurosurgery; (iv) ophthalmology; (v) plastic surgery; (vi) vascular surgery; (vii) dermatology; (viii) endocrinology; (ix) gastroenterology; (x) paediatrics; (xi) respiratory and sleep; (xii) gynaecology; and (xiii) rheumatology; (2) acknowledges the dedication of frontline clinicians, allied health professionals, and support staff who continue to deliver high-quality care despite systemic pressures; (3) calls on the Government to establish, within three months, an independent inquiry into identifying relevant health data and processes that would allow Canberrans, clinicians and policy makers to be best informed about the functionality of the ACT health system. The inquiry should: (a) be led by a suitably qualified chair with no current or recent past employment, or contractual relationship with ACT public hospitals, and has an understanding of the particular characteristics of a health system like the ACT, including the role of the Canberra Hospital as a teaching hospital; (b) investigate: (i) required improvements to the health data currently made publicly available including, but not limited to, wait times for specialist appointments; (ii) inter-jurisdictional comparisons of publicly available health data; (iii) centralising the publication of health data; (iv) required improvements in the presentation of data to demonstrate longitudinal comparison, changes, and segmentation to demonstrate determinants; (v) the extent and impact of any interference—administrative, managerial, or political—in clinical care decisions; (vi) current and projected resourcing needs (workforce, theatres, equipment, and beds) relative to demand; (vii) drivers of waiting-list growth, including referral pathways and peri- operative capacity constraints; (viii) inter-jurisdictional comparisons of drivers of waiting-list growth, including referral pathways and peri-operative capacity constraints; (ix) factors affecting recruitment, retention, and morale of medical, nursing, and allied health staff; (x) the effectiveness, risks, and unintended consequences of the planned care reforms and the Digital Health Record implementation, including potential improvements in data, updates to privacy legislation, and oversight required to facilitate patients’ treatment; and (xi) concerns raised in this debate about cardiology and orthopaedic surgery groups in the ACT public health system; (c) undertake confidential stakeholder consultations, accept written submissions, and publish hearing transcripts (subject to privacy concerns); (d) make evidence-based recommendations to improve governance, resourcing, data required to facilitate patient, policy and clinical outcomes, and staff wellbeing; and (e) make its report publicly available, including by the Minister for Health tabling the final report in the Assembly by 30 June 2026; and (4) calls on the Minister to table a formal response to the report by the last sitting day of 2026. Debate ensued. Papers: Ms Stephen-Smith (Minister for Health) presented the following papers: Canberra Hospital data— Reduction in Elective Waitlist—Cardiac Catheter Lab, Canberra Hospital (April 2024 – May 2025), undated. Timely Management of Category 1 Patients, undated.

2. What the Assembly decidedAgreed

   Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.