A report released yesterday by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare revealed ACT patients were commonly left waiting more than a year for surgery.

The figures do not include the time taken to be seen by a specialist before being placed on a waiting list.

Patients needing ear and nose and eye surgery, treatment for varicose veins, haemorrhoids or hernias faced some of the longest delays.

ACT Australian Medical Association president professor Stephen Robson, who is also a visiting surgeon at Canberra Hospital, said there was a broader problem than a shortage of specialists.

He said it was an "open secret" there were problems there were time inefficiencies around access to operating theatres at Canberra's public hospitals.

"It was a shock to read it's in the position it's in, but we're all keen to help," professor Robson said.

"What has to happen is that the health department needs to look very carefully on efficient use of the theatres," professor Robson said.

"It's possible to do a lot more operating in the same time period at a private hospital.

"Generally there are the same surgeons in the private system, but there are greater efficiencies in the system."

He said the matter also came down to support services including inpatient and outpatient beds.

"We need the capacity to not only do the operation but to care post operatively," professor Robson said.

He said the AMA and other colleges were keen to engage with the government to improve services for patients.

Professor Robson said he was concerned there was "reform fatigue" in the health department.

"I would personally ask they put aside politics and just focus on patients," he said.

Health Care Consumers' Association president Dr Sue Andrews said it was concerning patients were commonly on the waiting list for more than a year in some cases.

"We understand there is a shortage of some specialists in the ACT and we hope ACT Health is doing its best to attract specialists to Canberra," she said.

She said while the ACT serviced parts of NSW, which added pressure to the system, that needed to be taken into account in planning.

"We are also a bit concerned about the lack of data reporting last year," Dr Andrews said.

"We understand the data needs to be accurate, but the consumer also needs to be able to have access to good data so they know what's happening in terms of what thy need."

A spokeswoman for Minister for health Meegan Fitzharris said getting on top of the waiting list would be a key priority for 2018.

"There were a number of good performers within ACT Health, including Cardiothoracic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Urology, Gynaecology, and General Surgery," she said.

"ACT Health is committed to addressing elective surgery waiting lists so that more people can come off the waiting list and get the care they need when they need it.

"ACT Health have identified workforce issues both in the attraction and retention of surgeons and anaesthetists in the public sector.

"This is most notable in the specialities where wait times are longer."

Have you faced lengthy delays on ACT's elective surgery wait list? Get in touch confidentially at daniella.white@fairfaxmedia.com.au