FOOTSCRAY’S Western Hospital is the latest to become embroiled in the fudging statistics scandal after the State Opposition claimed the hospital had a secret waiting list.

Shadow Health Minister Helen Shardey said documents obtained under Freedom of Information show that 28 per cent of Western Hospital’s patients were transferred to a secret waiting list.

Ms Shardey said the patients were then moved onto the normal surgery list a couple of days before they were due to have their operations.

The practice has allegedly been replicated at the fellow Western Health hospital Sunshine, which Ms Shardey said transferred 36 per cent of its patients to a secret waiting list. “This system is used at the Royal Women’s Hospital to make it look as though the hospital’s patients were not being kept for long periods of time,” Ms Shardey said.

“The Western is one of these hospitals, and Sunshine (hospital) too, where there are alarmingly high figures that indicate this sort of system is being used to keep their waiting lists looking good.”

Last week an independent audit found the Royal Women’s Hospital was manipulating surgery waiting lists to receive performance bonuses. Mercy Hospital and Bendigo Hospital were also allegedly caught out.

Health Minister Daniel Andrews vowed to audit elective surgery waiting lists at every Victorian public hospital.

The State Government also abolished its $40 million bonus funding pool last week. The money will go to health services according to their volume of patient treatment.

Mr Andrews met with Victoria’s public hospital chairs to discuss the matter last week.

The State Government would not reveal what was discussed at the meeting, or answer specific questions about the issue when Star inquired last week.