Private hospital adds to capacity
CAIRNS Private Hospital is ready to play its part in helping combat COVID-19 in the Far North, following a federally funded bailout of private hospitals across Australia.
The hospital was one of hundreds of private health facilities whose future was uncertain after a cancellation of non-urgent elective surgeries due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However a new partnership struck between the Federal Government and the private hospital sector will allow the government to underwrite private hospitals to keep them open, clinicians employed, and continuation of patient care.
The deal also allows for hospital capacity to be offered under a cost recovery basis so 657 hospitals nationwide, 100,000 full and part-time staff – including 57,000 nurses and midwives – will be dedicating their time towards Australia’s pandemic response.
Ramsay Health Care, which owns and operates Cairns Private Hospital, has not clarified how exactly it will fit in with this strategy, saying the detail still needs to be worked through with the Queensland Government.
The hospital’s chief executive, Ben Tooth, said he was focusing locally on ensuring it was “ready to play its part in addressing the effects of COVID-19 in Far North Queensland.”
“We are in close contact with Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service and we are having discussions with local CEOs in the health care industry to develop plans outlining the kind of support we can provide to care for our community,” he said.
“Our goal is to provide our resources and capacity to assist with the impact of coronavirus in whatever way is required.”
Australian Private Hospital Association CEO Michael Roff said the federal deal would give the sector some certainty, providing for a private hospital system once the coronavirus crisis had abated.
“While the health system responds to the pandemic, a lot of what it normally does must be deferred,” he said.
“When the pandemic is over, we are going to need all of the capacity of the private hospital system to deal with the backlog of essential surgery. This deal means the private hospital system will be there to address that backlog.”
A BABINDA man who suffered serious head injuries in a crash at Mena Creek on Monday night remains in a critical condition.
The 24-year-old was the sole occupant of a grey Toyota Land Cruiser which rolled just after 1am on Mena Creek Rd.
He was treated at the scene before being flown to Townsville Hospital, where he remains in the intensive care unit.
Police are continuing to call for witnesses to the crash.
TWO large passenger ships – the Coral Adventurer and Coral Discoverer – currently docked at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal have met all criteria laid out by the Maritime Safety Authority. A Ports North spokeswoman said the Australian-flagged vessels were operated by a Cairns company and posed no COVID-19 infection risk.
“The ships have not carried passengers for more than 14 days, therefore no passengers have disembarked in Cairns,” she said. “The vessels have met all the required criteria set out by MSQ to allow them to berth in the Port of Cairns and are expected to layup or be on anchor until further notice.”
CHANGES to train services across the Far North are now in place to support the containment of the coronavirus pandemic. This includes the suspension of all Kuranda Scenic Railway and Gulflander tourism services, the suspension of The Westlander, The Inlander and Spirit of the Outback, and a reduction in the frequency of Spirit of Queensland and Rockhampton and Bundaberg Tilt Train services. For more details, visit http://bit.ly/ T1metable.
A WOMAN has been charged over a stolen car after she got stuck in traffic inside the vehicle.
The 33-year-old White Rock woman was spotted by police at Smithfield on Tuesday afternoon behind the wheel of the white Toyota Corolla, allegedly stolen from Koah on Monday.
She allegedly dropped a man at a shopping centre carpark before continuing on, being taken into custody at the Smithfield roundabout after becoming stuck in traffic.
The woman was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlicensed driving and possession of a dangerous drug and is due to appear at Cairns Magistrates Court on June 26.