Revealed: Have Grafton Base Hospital’s surgery woes been fixed?

The hospital has given an update on how a longstanding sterilisation issue is progressing and whether surgeries are back on track after drop.

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones speaks at the official opening of the $17.5 million Grafton Base Hospital Ambulatory Care Centre.

Following issues that began with sterilisation around February this year, Grafton Base Hospital has reported that it is back on track, with final fixes to be completed by October.

The hospital has new mobile sterilisation units in place that have allowed it to resume its normal surgical program.

The issue was first revealed in March with anecdotal reports emerging of surgical procedures being cancelled or transferred from the hospital.

General Manager Clarence Health Service Dan Madden said that on February 19, issues were detected with the steam sterilisers used in the Grafton Base Hospital surgical department.

“Staff identified the affected equipment as part of their usual checking process, rejected them for use, and ceased using the sterilising machines immediately,” he said.

“Technicians began working immediately to examine and repair the machines, including replacing some components.

“The sterilisation machines have now been fixed and tested to ensure they operate to a strict standard to meet infection control requirements.”

However, at the end of April, the health service confirmed the fixes were not working, and approximately 20 per cent of surgery at the hospital had been affected.

“Additional surgical instruments are being sourced to supplement the supply at GBH, and extra capacity is being added at the Lismore Base Hospital sterilising department to provide support, but some surgical cases are being rescheduled,” NNSWLHD CEO Wayne Johns said.

“We are working with surgeons and waitlist staff to minimise delays and are taking clinical conditions into account when rescheduling cases,” he said.

In May, more community reports of cancelled operations emerged. Claims that items sent away for sterilisation were returning wet, or unclean, led the health service to reveal $1m would be spent on new equipment.

“Two new sterilisers are expected within weeks after safely clearing quarantine, with other equipment on order from Italy,” Mr Jones said

“We wish to assure the community that no affected instruments have been used in any surgical procedures.”

Acting NNSWLHD CEO Lynne Weir said that supply chain issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic had delayed the arrival of necessary equipment to upgrade the existing surgical unit inside the hospital.

“These issues are now resolved and it is anticipated work on the surgical unit will be completed by October,” she said.

“Capital works will involve the removal of old equipment, reconfiguration of the internal space and replacement of equipment including a new reverse osmosis water treatment unit to mitigate against any issues with on-site water filtration systems which supply the sterilising equipment.”