Record numbers of patients are presenting to Northern Hospital for healthcare as the northern suburbs continue to be the centre of the latest COVID-19 outbreak.
Northern Health chief operating officer Debra Bourne said 362 patients were seen at the hospital’s emergency department last night, following a record number of patients on Monday night.
“These are unprecedented times!” she said.
“We need to carefully screen patients for COVID-19, which means it is taking longer for us to receive patients into the emergency department.”
Ms Bourne said the hospital was currently operating three COVID wards in addition to its ICU.
“Currently, we have 65 COVID patients in the hospital,” she said.
“We ask our community to continue to work with us by keeping our emergency department for emergencies only.”
It comes as images of ambulances queued up outside Northern Hospital on Monday emerged on social media yesterday.
Seventeen ambulances were reportedly ramped at the hospital last night.
Ramping refers to when paramedics are required to continue caring for patients while parked in a hospital carpark, due to bed unavailability.
Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill told channel nine the images were “not surprising”.
“[This is a] typical workload at the moment and seeing 13 or 14 ambulances ramped out the front of Northern Hospital is pretty common … we would see that most nights of the week,” he said.
“We would see that at many of the hospitals right across the state.
“What is concerning is just how bad things might get with this continuing covid peak and the effect that will have on the health system and likewise the effect that will have on ambulances being able to get to patients on time.
“The whole health system is struggling. Our doctors, nurses, allied health workers, paramedics, patient transport staff are all working to their limits and beyond.”
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said the COVID-19 pandemic had put excess pressure on the healthcare system.
“The pandemic continues to have a significant and unprecedented impact on health systems, Ambulance Victoria and hospital emergency departments,” the spokesperson said.
“Where there are delays in accessing emergency departments, paramedics continue to provide high quality care to patients.
“Our staff are working extremely hard to manage the increasing demand while prioritising care to the sickest Victorians.”
