The Canberra Liberals have set a target to conduct 70,000 elective surgeries in the next term of government if elected at next month's ACT election.
The party said they would attempt to achieve this through partnering with a private provider to deliver the surgeries.
There have been long waits for elective surgeries in Canberra over recent years. The most recent data, from earlier this month, showed there were nearly 8000 on the wait lists and 27 per cent of those were overdue for surgery.
Labor promised to deliver 60,000 elective surgeries over four years at the last election with the deadline for this finishing at the end of the 2024-25 year. Surgery targets have been missed in recent years.
Under the Liberals' plan, a private provider would deliver at least 10,000 surgeries.
"A Canberra Liberals government will identify patients most in need of elective surgeries and ensure any contract entered into with a private provider is conditional on meeting patient outcomes and performance targets," Opposition health spokeswoman Leanne Castley said.
"Currently, under the Labor-Greens government, outsourcing occurs on an ad hoc basis, which is inefficient and costly compared to entering into a contract with a private provider."
The Liberals' elective surgery announcement followed a promise on Tuesday around primary health care.
Primary health care commitment
The main commitments in the plan included $100,000 towards the HECS debt for up to 30 GPs who commit to staying in Canberra for five years and new walk-in centres with both nurses and GPs.
Ms Castley said the party would also explore a review of the existing nurse-led walk-in centre but stressed the Liberals supported the model.
"I believe that any public, government funded initiative or scheme should have a review to make sure that the nurses have what they need and that their facilities are adequate for Canberra," she said.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith hit out at the Liberals' commitments on walk-in centres, saying it would further fragment care in Canberra.
"Clearly the Canberra Liberals know that Canberrans love our nurse-led walk in centres and that's why they're saying now they would not change that model," she said.
"They're not committed to the model, they're actually committed to a politically motivated review and they are saying they want to do something else as well that is completely unachievable."
Australian Patients Association ambassador for health reform Nick Coatsworth said he welcomed commitments where jurisdictions take more of a responsibility for primary care.
"It's a solid policy. From what I see day to day there are definitely people who have to come to the emergency department because they can't access affordable healthcare," he said.
Dr Coatsworth said nurse practitioners were great at walk-in centres but the addition of a GP would put another layer between a walk-in centre and the emergency department.
Australian Medical Association ACT branch president Kerrie Aust said GPs had been undervalued.
"For too long [GPs have] been an undervalued part of the health system but today's announcements by the Canberra Liberals will help to turn that around," she said.
Dr Aust said the association welcomed policies announced by both the Canberra Liberals and ACT Labor.
Both associations welcomed the removal of payroll tax for general practices, which is a commitment from the Liberals.
Independents for Canberra leader Thomas Emerson took credit for the policies announced by Labor and the Liberals. His party announced a policy a few weeks ago offering $40,000 grants to GP registrars if they hold the balance of power.
"It's good to see that this has prompted both ACT Labor and the Canberra Liberals to make similar announcements within the last week," he said.
"This is the role of independents; to apply positive pressure on the majors and push for the implementation of good ideas, no matter who comes up with them."
