Surgery waitlist grows by 1500
THOUSANDS of people could be waiting years for vital operations as elective surgeries resume following the Territory’s Omicron wave.
Category two and three procedures were cancelled after the NT government declared a code brown last month, with fears the hospital system would be swamped with acute Covid-19 patients.
But with coronavirus case numbers declining, the Sunday Territorian can reveal about 4000 people are waiting for elective procedures at either the Royal Darwin or the Palmerston Regional Hospital.
That is a significant increase on the 2438 patients who were waiting for elective surgery at the RDH on November 24 last year.
Elective surgery is by definition any surgery which can be scheduled in advance, and includes procedures that are necessary.
These are divided into category one (within 30 days), category two (within 90 days) and category three (within 365 days), however some wait times have blown out to three years.
In response to questions, an NT Health spokesman said category two and three surgeries had resumed at Palmerston.
“Elective surgery is now gradually increasing at Royal Darwin Hospital as the Covid cases decrease,” the spokesman said.
“As of February 28, 2022, there are approximately 4000 people waiting for elective surgery at RDPH.
“NT Health is finalising plans to further enhance increase the volume of elective surgeries in the near future.”
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation NT branch secretary Cath Hatcher said RDH had brought down the number of wards dedicated to Covid-positive patients from four to one.
But Ms Hatcher said the hospital system remained short staffed, which meant any speedy fix to waitlists was unlikely.
“They’re doing it gently and will gradually increase when there is capacity to do so,” she said.
“It is a shame, but it’s happening right across the nation.”
Ms Hatcher said NT Health was still relying heavily on agency theatre nurses from contractor Serco to “fill the gap”.
Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation of NT president Thomas Fowles said waiting times would take a while to clear, and a looming pay freeze for health workers had the potential to delay procedures further by driving nurses and doctors interstate.
“Clearing this backlog will require a huge effort by health professionals, the very same people who are facing a pay cut from the Gunner government,” Dr Fowles said.
On Saturday the NT News revealed the Palmerston Regional Hospital was still partially closed, months after the government shut one-third of the facility’s emergency beds due to a lack of staff and resources.