Peak medical bodies praise decision to suspend some elective surgeries

The Premier’s decision to cancel most elective surgeries as Covid cases surge is the right call, peak medical bodies say. Here’s why.

South Australia’s peak medical bodies have applauded a state government decision to cancel elective surgery to assist with the treatment of Covid patients in hospitals.

The Australian Medical Association (SA), South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association (SASMOA) and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA) agreed the cancellation was needed to try to contain the escalating crisis.

Premier Steven Marshall said elective surgeries would be limited to category one and urgent category two cases to ease the load on our hospitals after the state recorded 1471 new cases.

ANMF executive director operations Rob Bonner supported the move, saying: “If we got to 1500 (cases) on Wednesday, then we can expect about 5 per cent of them in hospital over the next seven days and that is a big number … and a proportion of them will need intensive care.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA Branch) executive director operations Rob Bonner has welcomed the decision to cancel elective surgery. Picture: AAP / David Mariuz

“It’s a good decision as unfortunate as it is … but we entered this outbreak with a health system already under strain.”

Mr Bonner said surgical and intensive care nurses were highly skilled in respiratory issues so they would be assets in Covid response teams.

SA Salaried Medical Officers Association president Dr Laura Willington says changes to elective surgery will alleviate pressure at SA hospitals. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

SASMOA president Laura Willington said it was a “sensible solution”, but understood patient frustration about the delays.

“In places like the Royal Adelaide Hospital it is going to be very important to have maximum beds available, so those category three and four can generally wait six months to a year,” Dr Willington said.

AMA president Michelle Atchison said Omicron was “spreading like wildfire” so changes were needed.

She said hospitals had to prioritise emergency surgery and Covid cases.

Currently, there are 37 people in hospital, with four others in intensive care.

Dr Michelle Atchison said Covid cases and emergency surgery had to be prioritised Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Mr Marshall said the rising number of cases could overwhelm the health system, so cancelling elective surgery put the state on the “front foot”.

It comes as Women’s and Children’s Hospital staff are forced to take breaks outside because of “significant Covid spread in some tea rooms”.

In a memo, sighted by The Advertiser, nursing service director Carolyn Field advised workers the tea rooms had been closed.

“There is shelter that has been installed on the play deck and additional lighting for late and night duty,” the memo said.

SA Health confirmed it was “limiting the use of tea rooms” across all metropolitan hospitals. Mr Bonner said the AMNF called the move an “over-reaction”.

“For the people on night and late shifts where there are no canteens or volunteer shops open, those kitchens are really an essential way of having a break,” Mr Bonner said.

Originally published as Peak medical bodies praise decision to suspend some elective surgeries