Planned elective surgeries at the Launceston General Hospital could be delayed due to staff absences associated with COVID-19.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wick on Friday announced the hospital had, with the Royal Hobart Hospital, moved from level two to level three of its COVID-19 escalation management plan.
"This is as a result of the current level of COVID-positive inpatients across the two hospitals and the increasing level of COVID-related staff absences impacting general operations," she said.
Under the plan, staff are redeployed to areas to ensure the hospital's core operations are maintained and elective surgery activity is to be modified to ensure sufficient capacity for emergency surgery.
Wards will be configured to ensure accessibility for COVID-positive patients.
Ms Morgan-Wicks said the North West Regional Hospital and Mersey Community Hospital would continue to operate at level to of their escalation plans.
She said the Burnie hospital would be able to accommodate additional patient admissions from Launceston.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
