Victoria’s health system overflows with flu cases as private hospitals drafted in to help

PRIVATE hospitals have been drafted in for the first time to help Victoria’s embattled public health system cope with an unprecedented flood of flu cases.

PRIVATE hospitals have been drafted in for the first time to help Victoria’s embattled public health system cope with an unprecedented flood of flu cases.

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The Andrews Government will today enact temporary measures to meet the record demand after striking a deal in which selected private hospitals will accept public patients who need to be taken to hospital by ambulance.

Hospitals are warning people not to come into their emergency departments with less severe injuries and illnesses, and have backed it up with a social media campaign.

Experts still cannot confirm if the peak of the flu season has been reached, but already there have been 13,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza reported to Victoria’s Health Department, compared to 7365 at the same stage last year.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said Victoria’s public and private hospitals would work together so the state’s emergency capacity could be more flexible during the flu season. Picture: AAP

Victoria’s oldest and youngest are the most in danger, with those over 85 four times more likely to suffer from the flu than other adults, and under-5s falling ill in greater numbers than previous years.

Ambulance Victoria has been called on to monitor public hospitals for “pressure points” that will determine when it is appropriate to instead transport patients to private hospital emergency departments including those at the Epworth Geelong, Cabrini Malvern and St John of God Geelong hospitals.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said Victoria’s public and private hospitals would work together so the state’s emergency capacity could be more flexible during the flu season.

“During peak times patients will be able to receive treatment in private hospitals under exactly the same arrangements as if they were taken to one of our public hospitals,” Ms Hennessy said.

Tomorrow Victoria’s health leaders will also be brought together for a ministerial flu roundtable in a bid to come up with other measures to cope with the pressure on the health system.

A snapshot of cases across four of Victoria’s biggest hospitals shows 534 Victorians have been hospitalised with the flu — up from 324 last year — with the average age 67.

Four out of five of those hospitalised had pre-existing risk factors, making the flu much more dangerous.

This year there have been 93 deaths from influenza in aged care facilities, more than double the 46 at the same time last year.

In urging patients with less serious ailments to stay away from emergency departments, hospitals are suggesting seeking advice and treatment through family doctors, pharmacists, or Nurse-On-Call.

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