Phillip Strickland was on Victoria’s elective surgery waiting list for three years before going to SA

A Mildura man who travelled to South Australia for his knee surgery says even if he wanted to pay for surgery in Victoria, none of the hospitals were able to admit him.

A Victorian man who spent three years on the state’s elective surgery waiting list was forced to travel interstate to receive treatment.

Phillip Strickland, from Mildura, paid $28,000 to undergo a second knee surgery at a private hospital in South Australia after he tried countless times to be admitted in Victoria.

The 67-year-old panel beater said he was willing to pay for treatment in Victoria to speed up the process, despite the procedure being free at state public hospitals.

Mr Strickland said even if he wanted to pay for surgery in Victoria, none of the hospitals – including his local Mildura hospital – were able to admit him.

Panel beater Phillip Strickland travelled to South Australia for his knee surgery. Picture: Supplied

“They just kept saying you’re on the waiting list. I went there four times to see them at (Mildura) hospital,” he said.

“And I tried (hospitals in) Melbourne but I couldn’t get in anywhere.”

Mr Strickland said after two years of waiting for knee surgery – which affected his ability to walk properly or bend over – he was forced to stop working as a panel beater.

“They just put it off and off and off and off. If they’d done both knees at the same time I could have gone back to work.”

Victoria’s elective surgery waiting list has surged by more than 70 per cent (35,945) people since March 2020.

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said 7708 Victorians have fallen off the waiting list between April and June this year due to surgery requests being denied, patients seeking care interstate or dying while awaiting treatment.

“No Victorian should be forced to travel interstate to get the treatment they need and deserve,” Ms Crozier said.