ELECTIVE surgeries with Hunter New England Health will go ahead on the Queen's holiday, provided staff and patients are not otherwise tied up by the day off.
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Appointments falling on the Queen's National Day of Mourning are encouraged by the health minister, in recognition of the severe impact of COVID-19 disruptions on elective surgery the past two years.
Hospitals in the region are notifying people with appointments it is pushing ahead, executive director of rural and regional health service Susan Heyman confirmed.
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"That's what all my facilities are working towards at the moment," she told ACM.
"They're working through how we can continue to do that for our patients."
The snap holiday has proved a challenge for healthcare providers.
A Ramsay Healthcare spokesperson, which operates both Armidale Private Hospital and Tamworth's Tamara Private Hospital, said the Tamworth facility was proceeding with some elective surgery, and rescheduling services such as day programs and day infusion services.
The new holiday may impact some employees' work availability due to childcare and education provider closures, and they are working quickly to update rosters accordingly, the spokesperson said.
The local health district is navigating the obstacles presented by the holiday.
"It's always a little bit tricky when you've got a nationally declared holiday at short notice," Ms Heyman said.
"But the most important thing is that we continue to provide that care where we can."
A national memorial service at Parliament House in Canberra will be broadcast live at 11am next Thursday.
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Eva Baxter
Eva is a Northern Daily Leader journalist based in Tamworth. She covers health, politics, energy, arts & entertainment, business, community, and a bit of everything else.
Eva is a Northern Daily Leader journalist based in Tamworth. She covers health, politics, energy, arts & entertainment, business, community, and a bit of everything else.
