Theatres at North Canberra Hospital damaged in a fire last year are expected to reopen next month, Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith says.
The ACT government will also increase the number of surgeries undertaken in private hospitals as part of an expanded partnership.
The theatres at North Canberra Hospital, the former Calvary public hospital, were damaged in an electrical fire in December. The fire shut the hospital's seven theatres and maternity ward for a month.
Four theatres have since reopened but the remaining three remained closed after they were significantly damaged during the fire. The theatres suffered damage due to a combination of fire, water and smoke.
Ms Stephen-Smith said the reopening of the theatres would boost elective surgery capacity.
"Having all theatres at NCH back up and running will see surgical activity resume at pre-fire levels, increasing capacity across the system," she said.
The Health Minister also revealed the ACT completed 12,629 elective surgeries over the last financial year. This was about 1400 fewer than the previous year.
Despite this, Ms Stephen-Smith said this was an achievement and that Canberra Hospital itself had actually met its elective surgery target.
"This is a real testament to our health workers in the ACT and I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of both clinical and non-clinical staff to achieve this many surgeries during this time," she said.
The territory government has a target of 15,500 elective surgeries over the 2023-24 year.
The government will expand partnerships with private hospitals to help achieve this. Surgeries will also be undertaken in NSW. Surgeries such as ear, nose and throat and gynaecology will be outsourced.
The government has an ambition to deliver 60,000 elective surgeries over four years.
Plans for an elective surgery centre at the University of Canberra Hospital precinct were abandoned.
A specialty elective surgery centre was promised in the last territory election by Labor and it was expected to be finished by 2025, but the project was quietly shelved.
