Hospitals across Western Sydney are expanding short-stay surgery services as part of a $30 million NSW program aimed at improving access to planned procedures.
The High Volume Short Stay model allows patients undergoing selected planned surgeries to remain in hospital for up to 72 hours, helping hospitals treat more patients through dedicated surgical pathways.
More Surgery Capacity at Nepean and Hawkesbury
At Nepean and Hawkesbury hospitals, the model is being expanded to include procedures such as gynaecology and ear, nose and throat surgery.
The additional capacity is expected to support around 500 surgeries by July 2027.
The program forms part of a broader rollout of short-stay surgery models across NSW, covering specialties including general surgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology and urology.
Auburn Expands Cataract Surgery
Auburn Hospital has also expanded its short-stay service for cataract surgery and is now able to deliver more than 1,400 procedures a year.
The hospital already operates as a major centre for planned, lower-complexity and day surgery within the Western Sydney Local Health District.
Fewer Patients Waiting Beyond Recommended Time
Western Sydney has also recorded a substantial reduction in patients waiting longer than clinically recommended for planned surgery.
The latest available hospital performance data show overdue planned surgery numbers across the district have fallen sharply, with Auburn, Westmead and Mount Druitt hospitals recording no overdue cases in the period cited by the government.
Across NSW, the Bureau of Health Information reported that 3,955 patients were waiting longer than clinically recommended at the end of March 2026, down from 8,588 a year earlier.
Short-Stay Model Expanding Across NSW
The $30 million program is being rolled out across multiple local health districts and is intended to increase the number of planned surgeries that can be completed without lengthy hospital stays.
NSW Health says high-volume short-stay procedures account for a large share of surgery performed in public hospitals and can help make better use of operating theatres and hospital beds.
Further expansion of the model is expected as hospitals assess which procedures can safely be delivered through shorter admissions.