Northern NSW Local Health District has taken a measured approach to elective surgery throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so.
We will work towards increasing elective surgery activity to 75 percent by the end of June 2020.
This will involve consultation with our surgical and anaesthetic directors, as well as hospital management, nursing and other staff involved in operating theatre and recovery units.
The gradual resumption of elective surgery will be coupled with ongoing review and assessment of supplies and usage of PPE that keep both staff and patients safe, as well as continuing to significantly expand the state’s ICU capacity.
As always, patients will be assessed and prioritised by their clinicians, as well as being risk assessed for admission during this period.
Our staff will contact patients to reschedule surgery as appropriate.
I want to thank our clinicians and non-clinical staff for their resilience over these past few months as we’ve made swift and important changes to our hospital operations to help us respond well to the pandemic.
Thank you also to our community for their understanding during this period, and as we continue to work through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NSW Government has already committed $800 million extra funding for NSW Health to help boost ICU capacity and purchase additional services and medical equipment, to help respond to COVID-19.
In addition to this, the NSW Government is also injecting $25 million to fast-track statewide research and clinical trials to tackle the global COVID-19 pandemic and reduce its impact on the community.