By Aisha Dow
Victorian emergency departments are bracing for an increase in heat, alcohol, surfing and Christmas gift-related ailments, as the summer holidays ring in new trends in hospital arrivals.
St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne experienced its annual busiest week for emergency cases a year ago – between December 29 and January 4 – when the state was also experiencing a significant COVID wave.
St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne emergency department nurse unit manager Sue Cowling and the deputy director of emergency medicine Dr Brendan Morrissey.Credit: Eddie Jim.
This year, St Vincent’s staff are calling on the public to look after elderly neighbours vulnerable to the heat, to moderate alcohol consumption and to be cautious when trying out new toys or tools.
Sue Cowling, the nurse unit manager of St Vincent’s emergency department, located in Fitzroy, said heat-related illness could take people by surprise. Sometimes it was on the first really hot day of summer as families rushed to the beach and got sunburnt. For others, exercising in the middle of the day could cause problems.
Elderly people were also prone to falling victim to the heat while out shopping, she said.
“They would have layered lots of clothing on and the heat gets to them … they might come in [after collapsing], or not having enough water, or things like that.”
Emergency staff from across Victoria said their hospitals tended to see injuries associated with Christmas gifts, such as electric skateboards, rollerblades, scooters and power tools, in the week following December 25.
The past two Christmases have also coincided with notable COVID-19 outbreaks, sending hundreds to hospital.
Dr Daniel Crompton, the director of emergency medicine at the Northern Hospital in Epping, said the hospital was still consistently seeing a few patients with the respiratory virus and requiring admission.
Crompton urged people not to attend gatherings if they were feeling unwell, not to crowd into places, and to do a rapid COVID test before events or seeing elderly or vulnerable relatives.
Doctors say Victorians shouldn’t forget about COVID.Credit: Getty Images
Many of Victoria’s regional hospitals have been preparing for a big increase in patients as holidaymakers arrive.
Crompton previously worked at Wonthaggi, a coastal town in south Gippsland, where he said the number of patients would double over Christmas and New Year, and then surge again over Easter.
The director of emergency services at Barwon Health, Dr Belinda Hibble, said the emergency department in Geelong was often busier during the summer holidays with mishaps related to outdoor activities, including wounds caused by surfing collisions in crowded water, along with injuries from bicycles, skateboards and trampolines.
“It’s still really important for the community to be active … but it’s about taking care when trying out new activities that you may not be as familiar with … protecting yourself from heat-related illness, staying hydrated, remaining in the shade, and being careful to avoid combining alcohol with the sun and prolonged exposure to the weather,” she said.
Many beachside towns, like Lorne on the Surf Coast, see their populations swell over summer.Credit: iStock
Hibble encouraged Victorians who were travelling away from home this summer to take their medical information and regular medications with them, and also pointed out the alternatives to visiting Victorian emergency departments. These include urgent care centres, priority primary care centres and the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department.
Dr Brendan Morrissey, the deputy director of St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne’s emergency department, said alcohol intoxication was always the top cause of presentations at the city emergency department, causing poisonings or contributing to injuries. But the phenomenon was particularly apparent during the festive period.
“You may come in with a broken ankle or a broken wrist, and alcohol played a part,” Morrissey said.
Cowling, who has worked as a nurse at St Vincent’s for more than 30 years and cared for many patients who are homeless, said the summer holiday period could be the “best of times” for some, and the “worst of times” for others.
“Sometimes mental health and wellbeing presentations can be a little higher,” she said, noting that while other organisations were shut over the holiday period, the emergency department was always open.
“I remember elderly patients who’ve actually said: ‘If it wasn’t here, I wouldn’t have anyone having Christmas lunch with me.’”
Cowling said that people often tried to be stoic for Christmas Day, which meant the day itself wasn’t as busy as those after.
“People often don’t feel so great on Christmas Day, but they don’t want to say anything to anyone as they don’t want to destroy anyone’s Christmas Day.”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.