Bed-blocked: Royal Darwin Hospital cans all elective surgeries — again

ROYAL Darwin Hospital is bed-blocked as the facility struggles to operate at 140 per cent capacity, the NT News can reveal

The NT News understands all elective surgeries have been cancelled at Royal Darwin Hospital

ROYAL Darwin Hospital is bed blocked as the facility struggles to operate at 140 per cent capacity, the NT News can confirm. All overnight elective surgeries have been cancelled at the facility this week.

A Top End Health spokeswoman said Royal Darwin Hospital was “experiencing another peak in demand”.

“Staff are doing everything they can to ensure patients who need care are able to receive safe care, and are moved from the Emergency Department to wards as soon as possible,” she said.

“All overnight elective surgery has been cancelled for this week, but hospital staff are liaising with patients to reschedule as soon as possible.

“People who have non-emergency health needs are urged to see their GP as soon as they become sick to try to avoid becoming unwell.

“This helps Royal Darwin Hospital care for those who most need a hospital bed.”

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Australian Medical Association NT branch president Rob Parker at his office. Picture: KERI MEGELUS

The announcement comes less than a month after Australian Medical Association NT president Dr Rob Parker wrote to the Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, warning of an impending “health crisis” at RDH unless the Commonwealth stepped in with more funding.

In the letter, Dr Parker said it was “only a matter of time” until the facility was forced to turn away patients.

On Wednesday, Dr Parker told the NT News he was disappointed by the lack of action from Mr Hunt considering the hospital’s current position.

“We got no adequate response,” Dr Parker said.

“And in reality — we’re at code yellow again, struggling under a very stressed hospital system. And we got this bullsh** response from the Feds. It’s not good enough.”

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In his letter to Canberra, Dr Parker said the “health crisis” was “above politics” but the Gunner Government was not in a position to spend money.

“The NT Government is broke,” he said. “This money needs to come from the Federal Government.”

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Minister for Health Natasha Fyles speaks during a presser. PICTURE: KERI MEGELUS

NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said that in a bid to contain the crisis, it was now reviewing the services and models of care that could be safely delivered at Palmerston Regional Hospital to allow for additional capacity at RDH.

“During the rare occasion of RDH experiencing overcapacity issues, non-urgent services such as elective surgery will be deferred to ensure the critical services are available to provide care for the most urgent patients,” she said.

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Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt slammed the Gunner Government.

“The responsibility for the management of the Northern Territory hospital system rests with the Northern Territory Government,” he said.

“The decision to cancel Royal Darwin Hospital’s elective surgeries, clearly demonstrates the Northern Territory Government’s inability to govern, but more importantly, provide the essential health services that Territorians need and want.

“Chief Minister Michael Gunner and the NT Government should resign.

“The Liberal National Government is investing record funding across the Northern Territory health system.

“Public hospital funding for Northern Territory hospitals has increased by 94 per cent and will grow by another $200 million per annum.

“By contrast Northern Territory Government funding for their public hospitals has only increased by 42 per cent.”

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Australian Institute of Health and Welfare statistics show the NT has recorded the steepest increase in separations, meaning episodes of care, in its public hospitals from 2012-13 to 2016-17.

“The NT has almost two to three times the rate of hospital separations compared to the rest of Australia,” Dr Parker said.