Northern NSW Local Health District has taken a measured approach to elective
surgery throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so.
Chief Executive NNSWLHD Wayne Jones, said the Local Health District will work towards increasing elective surgery activity to 75 per cent by the end of June 2020.
‘This will involve consultation with our surgical and anaesthetic directors, as well as
hospital management, nursing and other staff involved in operating theatre and
recovery units.
‘The gradual resumption of elective surgery will be coupled with ongoing review and
assessment of supplies and usage of PPE that keep both staff and patients safe, as
well as continuing to significantly expand the state’s ICU capacity.
Mr Jones said that as always, patients will be assessed and prioritised by their clinicians, as well as being risk assessed for admission during this period.
‘Our staff will contact patients to reschedule surgery as appropriate.
‘I want to thank our clinicians and non-clinical staff for their resilience over these past
few months as we’ve made swift and important changes to our hospital operations to
help us respond well to the pandemic.
‘Thank you also to our community for their understanding during this period, and as
we continue to work through the COVID-19 pandemic’.
Recent stories, information and updates regarding COVID-19
COVID-19 reduces Australian life expectancy
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Life shows life expectancy in Australia has decreased slightly for the second year in a row.
Wuhan market increasingly likely origin point for COVID-19
An international team of researchers has found more evidence that COVID-19 came from animals in a Wuhan food market.
Editorial – There’s a bat in my lab!
The lab-leak theory that Covid-19 came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology – instead of a nearby wet market – was thrashed about in public recently, with the US Senate Homeland Security Committee holding a hearing into Covid-19.
Fresh air federal funds for Northern Rivers schools in need
Eighteen schools in the Northern Rivers division of Richmond have received $25,000 each as part of the federal government’s School Upgrade Fund, Labor Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said last week.
COVID-19 pandemic has cut life expectancy globally
COVID-19 reversed earlier trends toward longer life expectancies. During the pandemic, life expectancies globally dropped by 1.6 years according to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal.
COVID-19 update for New South Wales
Let’s not forget that Covid-19 is still a big issue in our community with 31,935 cases reported across Australia in the last week – an average of 4,562 cases per day.
Five graphs you need to see before the Global Carbon Budget...
The Global Carbon Budget is about to be refreshed, giving the world a critical insight into how efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are (or are not) progressing.
Public transport mask mandate to end
Masks will no longer be mandatory on public transport from tomorrow, Wednesday 21 September.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
