The Western Advocate has been told the move is costing the Western NSW Local Health District thousands of dollars and has been cited as another example of the "deskilling" of Bathurst Hospital.

The revelation comes as latest figures from the Bureau of Health Information show there were 125 people on the waiting list for a tonsillectomy at Bathurst Hospital at the end of March.

A spokesperson for the LHD said the crisis was the result of one of the two ENT specialists who routinely operate across the Bathurst and Orange hospitals taking "unplanned extended leave".

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However, the spokesperson said there were no plans to find a replacement specialist to help ease the immediate burden, though that might change if the surgeon who was currently on leave was unable to return.

"There are currently no vacant positions for an ENT surgeon across the Western NSW Local Health District," the spokesperson said.

"Bathurst has two ear, nose and throat surgeons who routinely operate across Bathurst and Orange Hospitals. One of the ENT surgeons is on unplanned extended leave.

"Patients, where suitable, have been offered the option of surgery in a private hospital in Sydney while the surgeon is away on leave.

"We are also working through other options to ensure those people on the waiting list get surgery as soon as possible.

"In the event the ENT surgeon on leave is unable to return, appropriate recruitment would commence to fill any vacant position to maintain the full complement of ENT surgeons operating across Orange and Bathurst."

The spokesperson pointed to increased spending on elective surgery across the Western NSW LHD, without nominating specific funding set aside for services at Bathurst Hospital.

"The 2020-21 budget included an extra $458.5 million to fast-track elective surgeries which were delayed as a result of the Federal Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring patients will be scheduled for surgery in a public or private hospital as soon as possible," the spokesperson said.

"The 2021-22 NSW Budget has provided $80 million to continue additional elective surgery."

A health professional who spoke to the Western Advocate said the potential loss of ENT surgeries from Bathurst Hospital carried the risk of "deskilling" staff who worked at the facility because they may be exposed to fewer surgical opportunities.

They said that could particularly be the case when it came to treating the younger patients who made up the bulk of tonsillectomy surgeries.

The professional said the upheaval of being forced to travel to Sydney for ENT surgeries would also have a significant impact on young patients and their families.

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