SURGERIES POSTPONED AS PRIVATE HOSPITALS JOIN PANDEMIC RESPONSE
Thousands of elective surgeries will be postponed in New South Wales as hundreds of private hospital staff are deployed to assist the state government’s COVID-19 response.
All non-urgent elective surgery is being temporarily postponed at nearly 30 private hospitals across the state from Monday, August 23.
Staff from eight hospitals across the Hunter and Central Coast will be sent to help support the state’s vaccination effort and workforce demands in the public health system.
Hospitals affected in the region include Newcastle, Lingard, Warners Bay, Maitland, Hunter Valley, Brisbane Waters, Gosford and Tuggerah Private Hospitals.
NSW Health says all emergency surgery and urgent elective surgery will continue to be performed during this challenging period.
“Patients due to receive non-urgent elective surgery impacted by these changes are being contacted and encouraged to seek medical attention should they experience a change in their condition so they can be reviewed and re-prioritised to a more urgent category if required,” NSW Health spokesperson said.
These private hospitals have also been conducting additional elective surgery on behalf of the public health system for patients who had their non-urgent elective surgery postponed in 2020, following a National Cabinet decision.
In 2020-21 the NSW Government provided 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 last year, and a further $80 million has been provided as part of the 2021-22 NSW Budget.
