Latrobe Regional Hospital enters ‘code brown’ to deal with ‘vast number’ of Covid patients

A ‘code brown’ emergency has been declared for six regional hospitals, including in the Bass Coast, in response to Covid. See the detail here.

Latrobe Regional Hospital will implement emergency measures to deal with a lack of staff and high Covid demand under a ‘code brown’ announced by the Victorian Government.

Government guidelines say ‘code browns’ are used to “plan, prepare, respond, and recover from an external emergency” and are called by a health organisation “when additional capability and capacity needs to be mobilised … to receive an influx of patients”.

They say that each health service is required to have its own ‘code brown’ plan and is expected to tell the Department of Health when the relevant triggers are reached, however, the department can request that health services trigger their plans if a “major impact” or “severe impact” threat becomes known.

As well as metropolitan Melbourne, the code announced on Tuesday will apply to Barwon Health, Grampians Health, Bendigo Health, Goulburn Valley Health, Albury Wodonga Health, and Latrobe Regional Hospital, where changes will need to be put in place by midday on Wednesday.

Deputy Premier James Merlino said a “formal emergency management structure” was needed because of workforce shortages and the “vast number of coronavirus patients requiring hospitalisation, and ongoing treatment for patients with urgent and emergency needs”.

Alterations at hospitals may include doing some medical work outside, removing patients from ambulances faster, or shifting staff to areas of higher priority.

The code is expected to last four to six weeks.

Latrobe Regional Hospital has been contacted for comment.