Hospital on alert

Staff shortages have forced West Gippsland Hospital into code brown status.

It is the first time the West Gippsland Healthcare Group has had to activate a code brown emergency management response but the community has been assured there is no need for alarm.

The State Government implemented a code brown at all public metropolitan and major regional hospitals, including Latrobe Regional Hospital, last Wednesday.

While not included on the government’s list, WGHG notified the Health Department it needed to implement an internal code brown response to staff shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

WGHG acting chief executive officer Trish O’Kelly said like many hospitals around the state, WGHG was struggling with workforce shortages as a result of the Omicron outbreak.

“This includes many staff having to furlough for COVID related reasons and an increase in demand for COVID-specific activity,” she said.

She said the community should not be alarmed. “While the health service is under strain, calling code brown will enable health services to escalate operational issues and redirect staff to services most needed.

“It will assist us to continue to deliver critical services to our community,” she said.

Ms O’Kelly said they were not aware of a code brown previously being implemented at Warragul.

She said it was expected to be in place for four to six weeks.

Ms O’Kelly said a code brown can be declared by a health service or facility when additional capability and capacity is needed to receive an influx of patients due to an external emergency.

She said code brown activation meant a health service that was under-pressure could defer less urgent health services to other facilities and reduce outpatient services to free up staff to work in high demand clinical service areas.

“A priority will be changing the model of care in the emergency department to maximise staffing levels.

“The plan will involve re-deployment of staff from less-urgent areas to critical service areas, freeing staff to where they are most needed.”

As well as activating code brown management, the hospital was already following State Government directions for non elective surgery.

Ms O’Kelly said the government directions enabled WGH to perform surgery for emergency and urgent category one patients only.

She said at the end of December, WGHG’s wait list was close to achieving target after having resumed full surgical capacity. But, she said, the recent announcement to again suspend elective surgery would increase wait lists.

She said all patients affected by elective surgery cancellations were contacted and would be rebooked as soon as normal surgical services began.

Ms O’Kelly urged community members to be understanding of the pressures facing staff due to the pandemic.

“People can also assist by only attending the emergency department if they needed urgent care.

“Emergency departments across the state are under significant pressure. Please contact a GP first if the health episode is not urgent. People should call triple 000 if they require an ambulance,” she said.

Ms O’Kelly said WGHG staff had been working with constant change and in challenging environments often working in full PPE.

“Their commitment and their resilience is to be commended.

“At the same time we thank our community for the wonderful support and patience they have shown at testing and vaccination sites and across our hospital and aged care facilities during these difficult times,” she said.