Public hospitals in regional Victoria have wound back all non-urgent surgeries as the State steps up protections against the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, Premier Daniel Andrews said that as of yesterday (6 August) regional Victoria was under Stage Three restrictions.
“To ensure our hospitals have the beds, equipment and staff they need to continue the fight against coronavirus, the Victorian Government will pause all Category Three and non-urgent Category Two elective surgery in regional Victoria,” Mr Andrews said.
“Where possible, Category Three and non-urgent Category Two surgery which is already booked should still take place, however that will be at the hospital’s discretion,” he said.
“No new non-urgent surgeries will be booked.”
Mr Andrews said that with COVID-19 numbers continuing to grow at a slow, but steady rate in regional Victoria it was more likely that hospitals would have to manage additional patients.
“We need to ensure they are equipped to do so,” he said.
“The Government will reinstate an elective surgery blitz across the state as soon as it is safe to do so – aiming to catch up on any backlog and get as many Victorians as possible into the operating theatre and back on their feet.”
He said the announcement followed the recent decision to pause all Category Three and non-urgent Category Two elective surgery in metropolitan Melbourne and reduce elective surgery lists across public and private hospitals.
