Elective surgery falls to sickness

The hospitals had frequently been at full capacity this week, but with careful management this had reduced to 90 per cent by yesterday afternoon. Photo / Thinkstock

Hospitals in north and West Auckland have had to postpone non-urgent surgery to cope with the winter's first surge of acutely unwell patients.

The influx at the Waitemata District Health Board's North Shore and Waitakere Hospitals began last weekend and has led to at least 30 elective surgery patients having their procedures postponed this week.

"We strive to minimise the impact on our patients but have had to postpone some procedures across both sites between Monday and Thursday this week," said the DHB's director of hospital services, Cath Cronin.

The hospitals had frequently been at full capacity this week, but with careful management this had reduced to 90 per cent by yesterday afternoon. The DHB attributes the influx to a large number of acutely sick patients and the onset of winter illnesses in the community.

Ms Cronin appealed to people to see a GP or accident and medical clinic for less-serious matters and keep the hospital emergency departments for emergencies only. On their busiest day this week the DHB's two emergency departments saw more than 300 patients.

Counties Manukau DHB spokeswoman Lauren Young said Middlemore Hospital was busy, "but not at our winter peak yet".

"We are starting to see influenza come in and we are starting to see serious respiratory illness with children.

"We are urging people to have their influenza vaccination and to see their GPs early rather than waiting till they are seriously sick and need to go to hospital."

An Auckland DHB spokeswoman said, "Peak occupancy for the week did reach 97 per cent and there has been an increase in general medicine admissions, however our overall occupancy has been steady. Presentations in ED also experienced a peak at the beginning of the week, but volumes have stabilised."

Waikato DHB communications director Mary Anne Gill said there were no occupancy issues at Waikato Hospital this week. Its performance against the Government's target that 95 per cent of ED patients be admitted, discharged or transferred within six hours "has been over 90 per cent all week".

"The hospital is tracking to projections, 64 beds free at [5pm yesterday]. Our Waikids winter ward opens on Monday and that provides extra beds for paediatric overflow."