Royal Darwin Hospital suspends category two and three surgeries for 72 hours

The Territory’s largest hospital cancelled some non-urgent procedures on Monday amid Katherine’s growing Covid-19 cluster.

NON-URGENT elective surgeries have been suspended for the rest of the week at the Royal Darwin Hospital.

The move comes amid a cluster of 11 cases of Covid-19 in Katherine, with a 65-year-old woman admitted to the RDH unwell with the virus.

A letter sent out by the RDH executive director Dr Didier Palmer, seen by the NT News, said category two and three surgeries would be deferred by three days from Monday night amid the Territory’s growing Covid-19 cluster.

“(The suspension) will be reviewed and further advice will be provided,” the letter said.

Category two and three surgeries apply to procedures which can only be performed within 90 days and 365 days respectively.

AMA NT president Dr Robert Parker said the cancellations were “distressing” but necessary. Picture Julianne Osborne

An NT Health spokesman later released a statement saying all category two and three surgeries had been deferred for the rest of the week.

“All affected patients have been contacted,” the spokesman said.

“Emergency and category one surgery will continue as normal.”

Australian Medical Association NT president Dr Robert Parker said the measure was reasonable in light of the surge in locally-acquired Covid-19 cases.

“You’ve got to prepare your beds for Covid-19,” Dr parker said.

“Obviously the cancellations are very distressing for individuals, but I understand why they are needing to occur.

“The hospital has got to adjust beds to ready for the impact.”

Dr Parker said the cancellations came as “no surprise”.

It comes as the Katherine Hospital has been declared a close exposure site by NT Health.

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