Metro North hospitals emergency departments at capacity, all surgeries barring category ones cancelled for 48 hours

Emergency departments at the four hospitals in Brisbane’s Metro North are totally overwhelmed with all non-urgent surgeries postponed for at least 48 hours, the Health Minister has confirmed.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls confirmed non-urgent surgeries had been paused at the Metro North hospitals.

Non-urgent surgeries at Metro North hospitals have been postponed for at least 48 hours as overwhelmed emergency departments hit capacity by a spike in flu and Covid-19 cases.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls confirmed that 185 category two and three surgeries would be delayed, with patients contacted directly to reschedule at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and the Prince Charles, Redcliffe and Caboolture hospitals.

He said further delays would depend on whether the surge worsened.

“Currently the hospitals believe that this current surge with the 48-hour pause will be sufficient to manage that, and that they will be able to reschedule from Monday,” Mr Nicholls said.

The flu spike, described by the Minister as coming “out of the blue”, has hit hospitals across the state, including Rockhampton, Gladstone, the Gold Coast, and Ipswich.

More than 250 people have been hospitalised with the flu in the past week, occupying 170 beds daily.

Another 190 people were admitted with Covid, with an average of 149 beds taken up. Both figures are rising.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls during a media conference at Redcliffe Hospital. Picture: Liam Kidston

Mr Nicholls said 90 per cent of those hospitalised had not been vaccinated and urged Queenslanders to get the flu shots to eventually free up the strain on the health system.

“Those are quite startling figures when you think of the impact that that’s having on our already hard working system,” he said.

“And I guess let me make this point to you: people who present at hospitals with flu also risk transmitting it to our doctors and nurses.

“Our sick leave is going up because doctors and nurses are getting sick as well.

“They do the right thing, they stay home, but that means it’s putting a strain on our workforce as well.”

Ambulance ramping had “taken a bit of a knock” in the past 24 hours, Mr Nicholls said, but he expected it to improve after the delays, similar to the rebound seen during ex-TC Alfred earlier this year.

Mater director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin.

Mater Health Services’ director of infectious diseases Paul Griffin urged for a “call to arms” to increase vaccinations.

He said there had been 3600 Queenslanders hospitalised by the flu this year, which had increased by 16 per cent compared to the same time last year.

“Australian Medical Association Queensland advocated for the free influenza vaccination program to continue, and we thank the Minister and the government for doing this, but unfortunately it’s not going to have the impact we wanted to,” Professor Griffin said.

“Our members tell us there is still hesitancy with regard to vaccines and complacency, and those numbers should clearly illustrate how significant the flu can be if we don’t take steps to control it.”