Both the RAH and FMC cancel elective surgeries this week

Two of SA’s major hospitals have cancelled dozens of “elective” operations this week due to Covid-19 demand. Surgeons say more than 3000 people are overdue for operations.

Fifty people have been left suffering and in pain, concerned surgeons say, as elective surgeries, including urgent operations, were cancelled this week.

SA Health said the cancellations were caused by patients with Covid-19 needing extended hospital stays.

Staff shortages due to illness and growing numbers of emergency department presentations were also to blame.

On Monday, the RAH postponed 24 operations, including two category 1 surgeries, 14 category 2 surgeries, and eight category 3 surgeries that had been scheduled.

The Flinders Medical Centre cancelled 26 operations this week, all category 3 surgeries.

A category 1 surgery is described as urgent and needing to take place within 30 days; a category 2 is semi-urgent and needs to take place within 90 days, and a category 3 is non-urgent and needs to take place within a year.

Dr David King, chairman of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons SA, said “elective” surgery is not optional.

“It is often essential surgery. The categories relate to the urgency, but not necessarily to the seriousness of the problem or the pain suffered,” he said.

Dr King said there were more than 3000 people who were now overdue for operations.

“SA Health’s own figures indicate that there are now approximately 19,000 people waiting for elective surgery in SA and 3400 whose surgery is overdue, and that number is growing,” he said.

Dr King said the backlog was critical, and called on the new federal government to work with state and territory governments to address the crisis.

Dr King said it doesn’t seem to be a short-term problem.

“We are really trying to work with all levels of government … and trying to find real solutions,” he said.

“We remain keen to work with SA Health to make sure that no operations are unnecessarily postponed.”

SA Health said that delaying elective surgery is “not something we take lightly”, and the surgeries would be rescheduled as soon as possible.

They also said their emergency departments will continue to assess and care for patients according to clinical needs and prioritise life-threatening cases, which may include emergency surgery.

There are 238 people in hospital with Covid-19 in SA, including nine in ICU.

Originally published as Both the RAH and FMC cancel elective surgeries this week