South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health yesterday announced the theatres would be "consolidated" at Wollongong and Shellharbour hospitals after Christmas, at the recommendation of "surgeons themselves".

But surgeons who work at the hospital knew nothing of the plans until the Mercury told them.

They said the closures would result in more cancelled elective procedures unless additional sessions were made available elsewhere, which they doubted.

Bulli Hospital offers low-risk day-only elective surgery to adult ear, nose and throat patients, minor orthopaedics and ophthalmology.

"My waiting list at the moment is roughly one year in Bulli and I have another one year waiting list in Wollongong," orthopaedic surgeon Dr Yiu-Key Ho said.

"If they close Bulli that means all the operations will be done in Wollongong and the waiting times will be two years, even for a simple operation.

"I'm not sure (Shellharbour Hospital) will have the time and the facilities (for extra sessions) but I would imagine it's not possible.

"I'll just take the time off. If I see more patients that means more patients on the waiting list. It doesn't help," he said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner seized yesterday's announcement as further evidence of a plan to close Bulli Hospital by stealth.

Residents expressed concern for the hospital in 2004 when the emergency department was downgraded and ambulances were diverted.

Staffing problems emerged in 2005, when the health service denied the hospital remained open purely as a result of political pressure.

In May this year patients were being turned away from the hospitals emergency department because it wasn't staffed at night.

"The closure of Bulli Hospital's operating theatres paves the way for Labor to close the hospital," Mrs Skinner said.