State Government Postpone Elective Surgeries As Patients Scramble

Regional patients impacted by pause


Article heading image for State Government Postpone Elective Surgeries As Patients Scramble

The Western Australian government have placed a holding period on elective surgeries for at least a month, despite no COVID cases in the state.

The shadow regional Health Minister says the pause has left patients scrambling after scheduling appointments.

A decision was handed down to put a halt on category two an three elective surgeries to cope with pressures on the health system.

A spoke in staff sickness and patients with respiratory illnesses are at blame for the added pressure on the WA health system.

It raises concern for regional patients who are unable to travel to complete their lengthy surgery.

Procedures are on hold in Perth, Bunbury and Geraldton.

Australian Medical Association WA doctor Mark Duncan Smith says the claim of an increase in demand is due to the governments failing.

"There has been no massive tidal wade, there has been no massive flood of work. This is chronic underfunding, and chronic malnourishment of the healthcare system that this government has put on its knees."

"This is not due to COVID, this is due to the lack of capacity in the system and the inability of this system to deal with the emergency department ramping."

Surgeries for those in regional areas will be impacted the most by the pause, with days of travel now ruled out for patients.

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31 August 2021




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