Patients the priority in elective surgery reboot

Tuesday 21 April 2020

Patients the priority in elective surgery reboot
Patient safety and wellbeing is central to the staged return to elective surgery agreed today by the National
Cabinet, says Australian Private Hospitals Association's (APHA) CEO Michael Roff.

"Private hospitals welcome the controlled return of elective surgery, which must be conducted so patients,
health care workers and other hospital staff are as safe as possible. A phased reintroduction will allow
hospitals to minimise risk to patients, monitor use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and ensure we
maintain capacity in the system to address the pandemic if it is required.

"We must acknowledge the great work already done in the health care system and by Australians in
flattening the curve and putting governments in a position to allow the reintroduction of some elective
procedures.

"We agree with the National Cabinet's approach and look forward to resuming surgeries that will have a
dramatic effect on the quality of life for many Australians," Mr Roff said.

Mr Roff stressed the importance of access to PPE to ensure safety of patients and health care workers and
that the use of PPE is appropriate to the procedure, in accordance with nationally developed guidelines.

"Access to PPE is going to be a critical issue for return to elective surgery and if normal supply chains are
not restored soon, private hospitals will need to be given access either to government supply chains or to
the national stockpile to ensure they can provide care safely.

"For a nationally consistent approach surgical restrictions need to be eased across the private and public
hospitals at the same rate. This is to ensure equity of access to available services for patients on public
elective waiting lists, in addition to privately insured patients.

"We must work together, going forward, to ensure Australians are able to get the care they need and our
health workforce has the PPE needed to provide that care in a safe environment," he said.

-ENDSMedia contact: Frith Rayner, Director Communications and Marketing, 0413 971 999
The Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) is the peak industry body representing the private hospital and day surgery
sector. The private hospital sector treats 4.5 million patients a year, including treatment of a third of chemotherapy, 60 percent of all
surgery, 74 percent of all elective musculoskeletal surgery and 80 percent of rehabilitation.

Level 3 /11 National Circ, Barton ACT 2600. PO Box 4502, Kingston ACT 2604. [T] 02 6273 9000 [F] 02 6273 7000
[E] [W] www.apha.org.au [FB] ValuingPrivateHospitals [Twitter] @priv8hospitals
ABN 82 008 623 809

Next Media Centre:
13/5/2020 Focus on mental health welcomed

Previous Media Centre:
2/4/2020 Victorian private hospitals mobilised to fight COVID-19 as part of national agreement